YUKIMONO FAQ

We have gathered questions which we have frequently been asked by our customers. If there is anything you want to know more, please feel free to contact us!

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Do you ship to my country?

We ship worldwide. If you couldn’t see your country in the dropdown menu of available countries, don’t give up, and would you please contact us?

Do you recommend or look for a pot that suits my tree?

We very much welcome such a request from you. Please let us know the image, shape, color, dimensions of the pot you want. If you don’t mind, please tell us the purpose (eg. for an exhibition), we will gladly recommend 3 pots from our stock or potter’s warehouse in Tokoname. It would be helpful if you sent us the photo of your tree as well.

Do you have large bonsai pots?

We can offer large bonsai pots, unglazed pots are also available. Probably you didn’t see any photos of these pots in our online store. Sorry, we don’t have enough time to add the photos in the store. Please feel free to contact us.

Do you have mailing list to allow us to stay informed when you have new pots available?

We are sorry, but we don’t have a mailing list at present. We will post photos of new arrivals on our facebook page or on Instagram. Please check them out as follows.

YUKIMONO facebook page
YUKIMONO Instagram
Tokoname Shuuhou facebook page

Can you sell your products wholesale to us?

If you are a business entity, we can sell you our pots wholesale.
Please contact us, and we will be happy to discuss our terms and conditions.

Can I order a custom made pot?

We now accept orders for custom made pots. Shuuhou pots are available to order right now by following the steps below.

Step 1
Choose the photo of the base pot on our online store or “Tokoname Shuuhou facebook page.”

Step 2
If you want to change the glaze color, show us the color what you want with photos on our store or “Tokoname Shuuhou facebook page.”

Step 3
We will send you a quote(estimate sheet), and will also tell you the production period for the pot. Usually it will take 1~2 months.

Step 4
Confirm the total amount and the production period, and we will then send you a bill.

Step 5
We will inform you on the progress of your made-to-order bonsai pot. We will periodically send you photos, and ship it to you when completed.

Please note
Every single pot we offer is handmade by the Tokoname potters. As you know, no one can exactly replicate handmade pottery. Furthermore, beautiful ceramic work is often created by chance, so please understand that we can’t promise to make the pot exactly as you expect.

If there is anything you want to know, please contact us here!

Visiting a potter, Bon-sai Matsusita in Tokoname

Hello, I am Yuki, an owner of the Japanese bonsai pots online store YUKIMONO.

I went on a business trip to Tokoname, the old pottery town, at the end of January 2016.

I go there 4~5 times a year to stock up on new pots from potters. 

Whenever I go to Tokoname, I have an interesting experience. This time I had a chance to visit the bonsai potter “Bon-sai” and it was wonderful. 

Mr.Bon-sai Matsusita(松下凡才), the fourth generation in a family of potters and whose father was also a bonsai potter, is unique and very interesting.

He was an artist creating avant-garde art work in his youth, who turned back to the bonsai world and has been making bonsai pots ever since. I wrote “he was an artist,” but he is still an artist in expressing beauty with bonsai pots in his own style.

It was thought that the shape of a bonsai pot should be like a classical or traditional Chinese style in the Japanese bonsai world, however, he broke up this way of thinking and shows his own style of bonsai pots, what he believes to be most beautiful.

It must have been much tougher for him to carry out such creative activity. 

Think about that he was in Tokoname where many craftsmen worked and respected a tradition, in addition, his father was one of the most famous bonsai potters who made traditional style bonsai pots. Actually he has been under pressure from the community and has had to overcome many difficulties.

His style has become more receptive, and nowadays his pots are popular amongst Japanese bonsai enthusiasts. 

His words, 

“A bonsai potter must be an artist and should keep creating what you really want,” 

were very impressive to me.

By the way his name Bon-sai(凡才) means “ordinary ability,” and it is different from the word bonsai (盆栽) that we all know.

These are his work. 

This pot is made by the son of Bon-sai, BJR(Bon-sai, Jr.) 

This is also BJR's work.

Thank you for reading YUKIMONO blog post!

http://yukimono.com/

5 Tokoname bonsai pots with fantastic patterns on the glaze

Hello, I am Yuki, an owner of the Japanese bonsai pots online store YUKIMONO.

One of the fascinating things about the bonsai pot are the beautiful patterns appearing by chance on the glaze. Let me tell you about 5 impressive pots with interesting patterns, which attracted my attention at the potter’s workshops in Tokoname last month. 

●White bubbles in black water!

This flower shaped bonsai pot in Tenmoku glaze made by Hidemi Kataoka, has interesting patterns which look like a covering of white bubbles in black water. When I saw it in Hidemi’s warehouse, it reminded me of the art work by the famous Japanese avant-garde sculptor, Yayoi Kusama. In spite of the simple and classic shape, this pot has a modern feel. It is also nice to enjoy it just as a piece of art.

●Circles with white dots! 

This hexagonal bonsai pot, my favorite shape, is also made by Hidemi. Though he never anticipates any patterns, these small circles with white dots have come out after firing the pot. I think they make the pot look old give it a lot of character. If you put a gorgeous tree, hopefully with flowers, in the pot and displayed it at a bonsai exhibition, it would undoubtedly draw attention.

This blue Hidemi pot also has white circles look like a peacock's feathers. The patterns make the pot look elegant.

●Patina, patina, patina!

This is a very classic semi-cascade bonsai pot, and absolutely one of the masterpieces from Juko of Tokoname. As the patina comes out in a beautiful pattern, covering over the Oribe glaze, the pot has a very old feel. The lights reflected by the patina make the pot sometimes look deep blue and sometimes silver. If an old tree fitted this pot, it would have dignity.

This is another fantastic turquoise semi-cascade pot. It also has beautiful patina and is smaller than the Oribe pot above. 

They are available, so if you are a patina pots lover, it will be advisable to add these pieces to your collection right now.

Thank you for reading YUKIMONO blog post!

All pots in this blog post are available and two Juko pots will be added YUKIMONO online store soon.

http://yukimono.com/