I recently sold my collection of Hokido pots, so, having some photos on hand, figured this would be a good time to slap together a post while I’m hard at work on a Yusen post.
His real name was Naoyuki Maenami, born in 1942, and started the Hokido kiln in 1976(like many potters, during the beginning of the “boom” years).
He’s been out of production for a while, his era of production was limited to a mere decade and a half. In my opinion, his pots are really well made, for the money, he developed a color of red clay(“Syudei”)that can normally only be found in antique Chinese pots. They are nice enough that many Japanese bonsai enthusiasts mistook them for good antique Chinese pots when they first came out. After last weeks look at all that’s been added, let’s take a look at what just left my shelves!

Six points of Hokido, all small shohin size. The top pot is 5.5″, for scale.

It’s tough to tell from this image, but the clay used to create the rim and base is a darker color from the body.

A very simple, very rich, red oval with incurved walls.

A grayish clay rectangle with cut corners, inset cut feet, and top band. I have another version of this pot that is very early edition, I decided to keep it 🙂

The sister of the counterpoint pot on the high stand, in a much lighter clay, untreated by manganese wash or other patination.

White glazed oval. Glazed Hokido are few and far between, and to my knowledge, the only glaze he ever produced is this cream color. It looks especially nice on his signature antique mirror shape pots…more on that later.

The counterfoil piece, a scalloped semi cascade antique mirror shape with faux patina. It’s lovely, every bit as nice as a Bigei 3 times as pricey!

A large Hokido I’ve show before, in his trademark style Antique Mirror shape with three cloud feet. The clay is as rich a red as you’ll see from any potter, for twice to 3 times the price for a 12″ antique mirror shape. Despite selling the ones I had, I still maintain theyre quite the deal for the quality. Well burnished, well shaped, high quality, uniquely tinted clay…what more could you want?

A Hokido oval 10″ in his signature “Syudei”. The quality is tops, and the finish nice, but not totally smooth. Still, a fraction of the cost of a Burnished Bigei of the same size!
So those are the Hokido that left my shelves this week! Later today I should finish up a long, and long overdue, article dedicated to Tsukinowa Yusen.
Thanks for reading!