23/06/2026
Seiji Ito (伊藤成二, b. 1949, Tokoname), who works under the name Jinshu (甚秋), is the second-generation head of Jinshu Tōen, the workshop his father founded in 1955. He began at the wheel around 1970, starting in teacups and yunomi before turning his own work — and the workshop — toward the kyusu; after more than fifty years he is a certified Traditional Craftsman of Tokoname ware.
He is best known for his extra-flat gokuhira-gata kyusu — a low, wide body that lets the leaves spread for fuller extraction, fitted with a large three-dimensional strainer for clean, clog-free pouring. He throws unglazed red, white and black clays, finishing them with seaweed mogake and local oyster-shell. That flat teapot won him the 41st Chōza Prize in 2012, and his work has also taken a silver prize at the first World Ceramic Teapot Competition in Yixing; as he says, „in the world of tea, the kyusu is the lead role, as in a play.“
A number of ’s kyusu are part of our Tokoname exhibition, on view at the gallery through 4 July alongside four fellow Tokoname makers. Several of his teapots are included in our online release, which goes live on Sunday, 28 June — quantities are limited.
PS: I visited Seiji Ito several times, the first time in 2017 as a young teapot collector enthusiastic about new Jinshu works, the last time this May together with , and where I had the chance to personally chose some pieces to complement the exhibition collection.
