Japanese Ceramic Hexagon Plate
Meet the Japanese Ceramic Hexagon Plate handcrafted by ceramic Yuichi Ikai based in Kyoto, Japan. Quietly expressive, this handcrafted hexagonal plate reflects his signature balance of structure and spontaneity. Its softly faceted silhouette is complemented by gently irregular edges, preserving the warmth and individuality of the maker’s hand.
The surface is layered with a tranquil celadon-grey glaze, flowing over carved, rhythmic brush-like patterns that evoke the movement of water, wind, or raked earth. Scattered white accents emerge naturally through the glaze, adding moments of light and quiet contrast. Along the edges, subtle flashes of exposed clay reveal the depth and character created during the firing process.
Versatile in both function and presentation, this plate is ideal for serving food. It also stands beautifully on its own as an object of contemplation, embodying the Japanese appreciation for understated beauty and the quiet poetry of everyday use.
Each piece is individually handcrafted, making every plate one of a kind with natural variations in glaze, texture, and form that celebrate the uniqueness of the ceramic process.
Dimensions: W 8" x L 7" x H 1"
Handcrafted in Kyoto, Japan.
About Yuichi Ikai: Kyoto ceramic artist Yuichi Ikai carries forward the rich legacy of Kyoto ware through a practice deeply rooted in tradition while guided by his own quiet aesthetic. Born into a family of pottery merchants in Kyoto's historic Gojozaka district—the heart of Kyoto's ceramic culture—Ikai grew up immersed in the world of clay before dedicating himself to becoming a maker. He trained at Kyoto's leading ceramic institutions and apprenticed under Living National Treasure Uichi Shimizu, later establishing Kihei Kiln (Kihei-gama) in 1984. Today, he serves as a director of the Kyoto Ceramic Art Association and is recognized as a full member of the Japan Kogei Association.
Working primarily with ash glazes, celadon, iron glazes, and white slip, Ikai creates vessels that embody the quiet elegance of everyday use. His work is characterized by restrained forms, subtle kiln effects, and surfaces that reveal the dialogue between clay, ash, and fire. Rather than seeking dramatic expression, his ceramics invite a slower appreciation, where beauty emerges through balance, warmth, and sincerity.
Ikai often speaks of pottery as the culmination of three elements: the sensibility he cultivated growing up in Kyoto's Gojozaka, the encounters with people and experiences throughout his life, and the techniques inherited from generations of master potters. Through refining these influences, he has developed an aesthetic that is distinctly his own. As he writes, "The message lies within. Each work reflects the 'present' moment in which it was created." His ceramics are not only vessels for use, but quiet expressions of time, memory, and the enduring spirit of Kyoto craftsmanship.
