A 1977 (昭和52年 / Shōwa 52) celadon incense burner (青磁香炉) by 深川製磁 — Fukagawa Seiji of Arita, Saga Prefecture — kept whole with its original kiribako (paulownia wood box), the maker's branch-store pamphlet, and the green decorative-use care card. The translucent jade-green seiji glaze sits over a porcelain body in the three-footed kōro form, with a reticulated dome cover (sukashibori) that lets a single coil of incense thread its smoke upward.
Material: Porcelain (磁器) with celadon (青磁 / seiji) monochrome glaze
Production year: 1977 (昭和52年 / Shōwa 52) — 49-year-old vintage
Body diameter: ~12 cm (4.7")
Body + lid height: ~9 cm (3.5")
Tomobako (paulownia wood box): ~14 cm × 14 cm × 13.2 cm (5.5" × 5.5" × 5.2"); brush-calligraphy 香炉 on lid + red 深川製 maker seal
Foot mark: 富士山 (Fuji-yama) blue underglaze trademark — the Fukagawa Seiji house mark adopted in 1894 (Meiji 27)
Included pamphlets: (1) navy IMPERIAL TASTE branch-store list (Fukagawa head office in Arita + 11 branches), (2) white Fukagawa Seiji company-history hakogaki, (3) green 「ご使用上の注意」 care card
Use: incense altar piece — coil incense, stick incense (with a separate riser), or as a kōdō appreciation vessel
Condition: vintage 1977 estate piece — please request additional photos of any area before purchase
Made by 深川製磁 (Fukagawa Seiji) / Arita-yaki in Saga Prefecture, Japan, curated by ZenKiln
About Fukagawa Seiji (depth-verified context)
Fukagawa Seiji traces its lineage to the Fukagawa family's seventeenth-century role in the Nabeshima clan's Arita porcelain industry. The modern company was organised as Fukagawa Seiji Co., Ltd. in 1894 (Meiji 27), at which point it adopted the Mt. Fuji (富士山) underglaze mark — the same blue Fuji you'll see on the foot of this piece. The white company-history pamphlet enclosed with this kōro narrates the firm's Paris Exposition awards (1900) and its 1910 (Meiji 43) historical designation as a purveyor to the Imperial Household Agency (宮内庁御用達（historical record）). The Fukagawa celadon line is one of the house specialties — fired at high temperature for the dense, translucent jade glaze the company calls "the gloss of a jewel." This particular piece was produced in 1977 (昭和52年), when Fukagawa's Arita workshop was operating across its 11-branch retail network listed on the navy pamphlet enclosed with the kiribako.
Use & care
Per the enclosed green maker care card (「ご使用上の注意」), this piece is fired for decorative purposes (装飾を目的に焼造) and is not intended for use as tableware. Wipe gently with a soft sponge or cloth; do not scrub with abrasive cleansers or scouring pads. Avoid sudden temperature shifts or mechanical shock — porcelain can crack. The reticulated cover allows smoke to escape and should not be sealed or weighted.
Gifting & presentation
The original kiribako is dovetail-jointed and labelled by the maker, making this a presentation-ready piece for a collector of Japanese ceramics, a tea-room or meditation-altar curator, or a recipient marking a milestone — Father's Day, a retirement, a housewarming, or a tea-friendship anniversary. We hand-pack the tomobako inside a second protective outer box for international shipping.
Shipping & returns (antique line)
This is a one-of-one estate piece. We do not accept returns on antique-line listings; all condition details and the maker's documentation are disclosed above and in the photos. Please ask any questions before purchase — we are happy to send additional photos.
Reference conversions
12 cm ≈ 4.7"
9 cm ≈ 3.5"
14 cm ≈ 5.5"
13.2 cm ≈ 5.2"
About ZenKiln — A Japan-based curator connecting international collectors with Japan's artisan ceramic tradition. We work closely with the kilns, workshops, and makers featured in our shop — each one disclosed in our About section — and hand-pack every piece in Japan for safe delivery worldwide.
📦 Ships from Japan, hand-packed for safe delivery.
Details & dimensions
Body diameter ~12 cm (4.7") / height ~9 cm (3.5"). Reticulated dome cover (sukashibori), three-footed (sansoku) form. Tomobako ~14 × 14 × 13.2 cm (5.5 × 5.5 × 5.2"). Weight TBD — will be measured before dispatch.
Shipping, duties & delivery
Ships from Japan, 1–3 business day handling, 7–14 day international transit
Packaging & gifting
Original Fukagawa Seiji paulownia tomobako included; gift-ready as-is
Care instructions
Decorative / incense use only — not certified for tableware. Hand-wash with mild detergent and soft cloth. No microwave / no oven / no dishwasher. For incense use: place a thin ash bed inside before lighting to protect the interior glaze. Avoid sudden temperature shock.
