A great reference site for Japanese tea bowls.

If you love Japanese tea bowls, please visit http://www.rikyucha.com. They have a large assortment of tea bowls as well as other items, with information in English!! 

SHODAI YAKI (小代焼き)- Ceramics of Kumamoto Prefecture

https://shodaiyaki.com/

Shodai yaki has a history of 400 years. It has a rich iron content and is categorized as Mingei or folk art pottery. I fell in love with the many on display at the craft center in Kumamoto. This is one of my favorites. I only wish I had time to visit the actual kiln as Mr.  Inoue's work "speaks to me".

      This is made by Inoue Taishu (井上 泰秋) of Fumoto Gama

I just returned from Japan. Although it was not a vacation, I did manage to visit a wonderful display of vintage pottery at the Kintetsu Department Store in Osaka. One of my purchases was this lovely tea bowl by second generation Shirohei of Shirohei-gama. Shodai pottery died out in the early 1900's but was revived in the mid 20th century. One of the revivalists was Joshima Heijiro of Shirohei-gama. His son, Eichiro was the second generation. The current master of Shirohei-gama, son of Eichiro, is Joshima Nobuaki. 

Link to information on Shirohei-gama (in Japanese)

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrBT8pZMiRUvuMAYyDBGOd_;_ylu=X3oDMTE0amI4c3JzBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1RBVVMwNDlfMQ--/RV=2/RE=1411687130/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fkumamoto-kougeikan.jp%2fkougei%2fcn7%2fcn36%2fpg381.html/RK=0/RS=OrkQgLgNrQ95jGYjKBY7OyXOVDw-