Over the centuries, royal visits to China and Japan have often been the occasion for new Eastern works of art entering the Collection. This vase was presented to Her Majesty The Queen during her State Visit to Japan in May 1975, by Prime Minister Takeo and his wife. It was made by Sho-ji Hamada (1894–1978), one of the leading Japanese potters of his day, who also worked for some time in St Ives, Cornwall, in collaboration with Bernard Leach (1887–1979). The photograph below shows The Queen drinking sake during her visit while sat on a traditional tatami straw floor mat (RCIN 2002920).