Kazuhito Yamamoto: Handmade Pottery

Kazuhito Yamamoto pottery comes mostly from a workshop in Saitama, Japan, with a smaller number of pieces made in Gifu. Two looks dominate the lineup: a deep black surface that thins and darkens unevenly, and a green oribe tone cut with facets before firing.

Before the black and green pieces, there is a third: a small white oval plate, carved before its matte glaze goes on. Because the cuts happen first, the white settles thinner over the raised lines and thicker in the grooves, so the pattern reads differently depending on where light hits it. At about 2cm deep, it stays flat enough for bread or a starter without hiding the carving under food.

What holds the line together

Every piece here shares the same clay body, pottery (ceramic), so what changes from item to item is glaze and place of origin rather than the material itself. The black-glazed pieces come from Saitama; on the striped rice bowls, that glaze runs thin near the rim and gathers dark toward the base, which is where the stripe effect comes from.

Two bowls, two portions

Between the bowls, plates, one rectangular plate, one small bowl, and one large serving plate in this lineup, the two striped rice bowls make the clearest size comparison. The larger one measures close to 7.8cm deep — enough for a full serving without the rice sitting flush against the rim.

Set beside it, the smaller version drops to about 6.5cm — a shift you can feel as much as see. It empties faster, sits lighter in one hand, and suits a smaller appetite or a side portion better than the larger bowl does.

What the plates are for

The blue glazed pasta plate curves to roughly 5.7cm at its center, deep enough to keep sauce from sliding to the rim. The oribe faceted long plate stays much flatter, closer to 2.5cm, which suits food you want laid out rather than pooled — grilled fish, vegetables, anything that shouldn't sit in liquid.

Starting points

For the carved surface, begin with the small carved oval plate. To compare portion sizes, set the larger striped bowl next to the smaller one, or look at the pasta plate for more curve underfoot. The complete lineup is in the Kazuhito Yamamoto collection.