Vintage item, never used. A Japanese pair of bowls (茶碗) featuring the distinctive calligraphy and poetry of Aida Mitsuo 相田みつを (1924–1991), one of Japan’s best-known modern calligraphers and poets.
The set consists of two matching white glazed bowls, each decorated with a simple green botanical motif and one of Aida Mitsuo’s characteristic handwritten verses. The restrained combination of white, fresh green and warm brown calligraphy gives the pieces a gentle, uplifting character.
“If you do not become yourself, who will become you?”
“The path — you make it yourself.
You open your own way.
A path made by someone else
cannot become your own.”
Both verses are signed みつを (Mitsuo).
Aida Mitsuo 相田みつを was a Japanese poet and calligrapher celebrated for combining expressive brush writing with short, accessible reflections on life, individuality, perseverance and human nature. His work is instantly recognizable for its informal, deeply personal calligraphy and simple phrases that invite quiet reflection.
The original box identifies the set as 「緑彩茶碗二客組」, a pair of green-decorated chawan bowls. In everyday Japanese tableware, chawan commonly refers to a rice bowl, making these suitable for rice, small donburi servings, soup or other side dishes.
Size: 11.5 x 11.5 x 5.5cm
