Koshun-gama Kiln opened in 1943 nestled among the hills of the Hiyoshi neighborhood in Kyoto’s Higashiyama District, which is famed for its many pottery kilns. The first generation started by applying blue painting techniques to white ceramics, and the second generation branched out into a “kochi” technique imported from China and cherished in the world of the Japanese tea ceremony. The third generation and current master potter, Mr. Takashima Shinichi, developed upon one of the kochi techniques called “icchin” to add his personal touch in a Shippo “Seven Treasures” pattern to everything from tea ceremony wares to items for everyday use.

You too can own a Shippo piece handcrafted in icchin style by Mr. Takashima, who has been appointed a “Master Craftsman of the Future” by the Traditional Industries of Kyoto. The delicate icchin technique is done with clay piped onto the smooth surface of the ceramics, creating a grooved texture of thin white clay, akin to the beautiful touch and appearance of lace. Among traditional Japanese patterns, Shippo is known as a very auspicious pattern. Like its linking, unending circular pattern, these items are created in the hope that they will link happiness into your home.