Pottery Mini Vase Red Hibiscus. Japanese or Chinese Maker's Mark?

Can anyone tell if this text is Chinese or Japanese?
The pictures are much larger than than actual size. I just love how digital cameras can enlarge tiny things.

Not sure of correct orientation on this one, so flipped the pic and am showing it both ways.

2 and 7/8" tall. Clear coat crackle glaze over white. Overall width at widest part of vase 1 and 7/8".
Measures 1 and 1/8" across base. The vase is so tiny and the maker's mark is so carefully and neatly painted in tiny text.

Opening at top of vase measures 7/8" diameter to outside edges. Thin band of gold paint around the outside edges of the mouth of the vase.



The hibiscus flower seems to be a combination of decal/transfer and hand painted.
The leaves show 'dots', which makes me assume that a decal was applied and then filled in and embellished by hand. But I'm not sure. Maybe those dots are hand painted as shading.

 

Unless it's the pictures I'm kinda surprised, whichever of those cultures it is, that it's deformed at the rim and appears to be at the bottom.

 

Oh my gosh King, you are right. I noticed that when I uploaded the pics off my camera, but I thought at the time it was an optical illusion from the glare off the glaze. I went through a lot of contortions, trying from different angles when taking the pics to get the least reflection off the glaze as possible.

Well, I just looked at the vase and it is off round and kinda lopsided. I can see the mold marks under the glaze, and it looks like the person who trimmed the mold marks went deep and deformed the vase at the top and the bottom.
Thanks for pointing that out and prompting me to look more closely!

 

Lauragarnet, I want to compliment you on the great job you did photographing the vase and thank you for putting the dimensions of the vase early in your posting (directly beneath the first full-shot photo).

 

I agree - I wish I could get shots like that. On a small vase like that the defects on the rim and bottom don't surprise me. Usually they were mass-produced to sell for very little. Hopefully someone will come along who can tell you about the mark.
Don

 

Thanks yourturn

 

Well, it's a Satsuma mark, but the piece doesn't much resemble traditional Japanese Satsuma ware. Could be from China or Vietnam.

 

Thankyou for the info, khl889. That gives me something to go on. Since it was so carefully and neatly signed, I was hoping it was a specific artist's or potter's name. It appears I'm out of luck with that hope, though.