These are two handmade bonsai pots, one carrying a dragon relief and the other a samurai. This isn’t a mass-produced set — it’s a pair of unique, hand-built pieces, brand new and never used, and they arrive in a handwritten kiribako box.
The two motifs aren’t chosen at random. In East Asian imagery the dragon stands for power, water and protection; the samurai for discipline and resolve. As a relief on a small pot they tell a story before a tree is ever planted in them.
A word about the kiribako, because it’s part of the piece. The paulownia-wood box is the traditional way valued objects are kept in Japan — tea utensils as much as fine pots. Paulownia keeps moisture away and protects what’s inside, and a handwritten box does more than package: it documents the piece and travels with it over the years. Collectors care about that.
The dimensions are small: 12 × 12 cm outside, 10.5 × 10 cm inside. That’s shohin territory, the world of small trees, where every detail counts because you view everything up close.
With a pot this expressive, it’s worth thinking about the tree. An ornate, figurative pot and an equally busy tree tend to compete. The pairing usually reads calmer and stronger when the tree is kept simple and lets the pot take the stage — or when you deliberately treat the pot as the jewel of the composition and choose a quiet companion for it.
Bonsai collecting in the wider international scene has grown a real appetite for distinctive shohin pots, and a documented, handmade piece with its kiribako holds its place in a collection. At shohin displays — increasingly popular at shows across Europe and beyond — the pot is often the thing people talk about.
The relief lives on light and shadow. Over time a fine tone settles into the recesses, and that’s exactly what brings such a piece to life. When cleaning, don’t scrub the surface hard — a soft brush is enough, the rest is patina.
One practical note: small pots dry fast. With so little soil, summer watering can mean twice a day, so a free-draining mix and mesh over the holes are essential.
To be clear: the sale is for the two pots and the kiribako. No plants are included. These are unique pieces — this exact pair, new and unused.
- External: 12 × 12 cm
- Internal: 10.5 × 10 cm
- Kiribako: 40 × 20 × 20 cm
- Made: handmade, one dragon and one samurai relief, brand new
