6inch Plate (Matte Black)

A flat, dark disc — the kind of plate that makes whatever sits on it look considered.

The 6-inch Plate from NANKEI POTTERY (南景製陶園) is a 15cm round plate made in the Banko-yaki tradition of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture. The Matte Black version shares its dense, iron-rich clay with the Sencha Kyusu — the same dark weight on the table — it pairs directly and reads as a set on the table. Fired without glaze, the surface carries a dry, matte texture that shows the momentum of the clay: trowel marks made visible, the breath of the kiln still present. The clay does not absorb water or odour, but surface oils do darken it slightly — a wet-looking depth that settles with use.

Practical as a tea cake plate, a small serving dish, or wherever you need a quiet, stackable surface that holds its own.

Shipping

• Japan: ¥800 flat rate — free shipping on orders over ¥15,000.
• Asia: from ¥2,500 — free on orders over ¥25,000.
• EU, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada: from ¥3,500 — free on orders over ¥35,000.

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South of Nagoya, along the shore of Ise Bay, Yokkaichi in Mie Prefecture has been a centre for Banko-yaki since the eighteenth century. The city's iron-rich clay and long firing tradition gave rise to a distinct stoneware character — dense, unglazed surfaces that age quietly with use. 南景製陶園 (Nankei Pottery) has worked within this tradition for decades, using a proprietary clay formula that has remained unchanged for more than fifty years. High-temperature yakishime firing drives off virtually all porosity, leaving a body that is hard, smooth to the touch, and subtly warm in colour.

The forms Nankei designs are spare and considered — nothing added that does not serve the tea. A kyusu pours cleanly; a yunomi sits without fuss in the hand. That restraint comes not from minimal effort but from sustained attention to proportion and weight. If you want to learn more about the people behind the work, our Behind the Sip article on Nankei Pottery goes further: Nankei Pottery — Banko-yaki in Yokkaichi.