Hemp Leaf Octangle Plate

Octagonal Bowl with Hemp Leaf Pattern – Sometsuke (Blue & White) | Shingama Kiln (Seto, Japan)

Handcrafted from Setoyaki porcelain at Shingama Kiln (眞窯) in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, this elegant bowl features an octagonal form adorned with a meticulously hand-painted hemp leaf pattern. Each line is carefully brushed in vivid indigo, embodying the refined beauty of traditional sometsuke (blue-and-white ware).
Founded in 1919, Shingama has specialized in sometsuke ceramics, creating works decorated with gosu (a cobalt-based pigment) and iron oxide. Their artisans continue to uphold this legacy, blending tradition with artistry in every piece.
Sometsuke is a technique in which patterns are drawn in gosu on a white porcelain base, then coated with a clear glaze and fired. The indigo hue varies subtly with each craftsman, depending on the clay, glaze, and firing process. A hallmark of this style is the dami technique—where gosu is applied with a large, saturated brush, allowing rich gradations of blue much like an ink painting. Only years of practiced skill can achieve such depth and nuance in indigo.
In 1997, Seto Sometsuke-yaki was designated as a Traditional Craft of Japan by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, recognized both domestically and internationally for its delicate forms and refined brushwork.
With its harmonious octagonal shape and timeless hemp leaf motif, this bowl brings an air of quiet elegance to the dining table, equally suited for daily use or as a treasured gift for lovers of fine Japanese ceramics.