Dish with a willow tree and flogs, Tamba ware

In this example, iron glaze was removed before the white slip dried, and the dish was turned while suminagashi technique for creating irregular patterns was applied by moving the dish during designing to represent the trunk of a willow tree; the branches, leaves and frog were then added afterwards. This type of design is based on the story of the court noble and distinguished calligrapher, Ono-no-Tōfū (894—967) who was said to have understood the importance of endeavour after watching a frog trying to leap onto a willow leaf.