In Ito Tozan III’s pine plate, the Pine, or Matsu, drapes dramatically throughout the plate, as if it is waiting for something to rest on its branch. The Matsu frames around the plate, like a Kabuki stage, announcing their new year's greetings to the audience.

Seen in Utagawa Kunisada’s tryptic, Kodai Kanjincho, the actors stand in front of a matsubame, a standing screen ornamented by a elderly pine tree, taken by the Noh and Kyogen stage design practice. In Shinto, the pine tree is associated with kami, where the spirits of Kami will wait (matsu is a homophone for 松 as in pine and 待つ as in wait) inside the pine. The tree’s longevity and strength to withstand the cold and harsh wind makes them a symbol for long life and prosperity.

Ito Tozan III (1900–1970) was the third-generation master in the Ito Tozan lineage of potters specializing in porcelain. He trained in his craft- mainly celebrated for his works in porcelain and tea wares under the tutelage of his father, Ito Tozan II (1871–1937), and grandfather, Ito Tozan I (1846–1920). At one point in his career, Tozan III worked in the kiln of the celebrated Living National Treasure Hamada Shoji. Over the years, his exceptional skill earned him numerous prestigious awards, and his work holds the rare honor of being included in the collection of the Imperial Household.