Finely crafted maru-shikaku (rounded-square) teapot, wheel-thrown and hand-formed by Ito Seiji in Tokoname Japan. Glazed in the traditional yohen (kiln transforming) style with a crackled gradation of burgundy, sienna, and bronze. The inside incorporates a clay sasame (fine mesh) filter ensuring a smooth pour for all types of loose-leaf tea. It is signed by the artist and appropriately presented in a paulowina wood (princess wood) box, stamped with the artisan's kiln mark.

Tokoname-yaki is one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns with production dating back to the 12th century. Teapots from Tokoname are made with naturally iron-rich clay called shudei, prized for enhancing the flavor of fine tea and bringing out the sweetness of green tea in particular.

Ito Seiji is the second-generation headmaster of Jinshu Pottery, and has taken a more expressive, artisanal path. His work has been celebrated over four decades, combining tradition with contemporary expression, both intuitive and expressive.

Handmade Japanese tea wares are referred to as Kogei in Japan; the concept that beauty resides in the artisan’s work through nuances, wabi-sabi (irregularities), and defining differences between each piece.