Sansai Three-Color Glaze Carved Sushi Plate

A sansai (three-colour) sushi plate made by Kazufumi Wada, the fourth-generation potter at Keizan kiln in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture. The surface of each rectangular plate is carved and finished by hand, one piece at a time. Its simple, quiet presence sits easily on the table.

The glazing is sansai, with green, brown and white applied in separate areas. Along the borders where the colours change, the ridges and hollows of the carving overlap, creating light and shadow. The placement and spread of each glaze differ from piece to piece.

Wada selects and blends the clay and glazes himself. Using carving knives and metal blades, he pares the surface away little by little. It is work that demands concentration, skill and time.

Even with the same clay, technique and glazes, the colours that emerge from the kiln vary. Variations in glaze density, pooling, running, uneven colour and iron specks are the individual character born within the kiln. Small blemishes and slight warping are likewise not defects, and do not affect use.

The uneven beauty of the carved marks cannot be reproduced by machine. The plate has the weight unique to pottery and feels stable in the hand. It is a vessel whose character deepens with use. Beyond sushi, it also works well for grilled fish or appetizers.