This is an old picture, perhaps from 10 years ago,
it recently surfaced as I was looking for another pot on a disc with pottery
files. It is funny how there are certain things I remember about pots I have
handled and in this case the satiny, smooth texture of the glaze juxtaposed
against the slightly coarse clay still stands out in my mind. Though Ningen
Kokuho for Seto-Guro, Kato Kozo is also well known for his various Shino and
Ki-seto glazes as well as for his rather distinctive tetsu-yu that feels wonderful
to the touch and has a very subtle array of effects and sub-textures about the
surface. The rich, full form and evocative landscape gives one the impression
of cradling a large succulent or at the very least a big ripe persimmon making
the chawan that much easier to interact with. Over time I have seen a number of
Kato Kozo's tetsu-yu pots from chawan to tsubo and yet this particular piece
always springs to mind and makes me think of Japan in the late fall when the
persimmons are ripe and ready to pick.
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