Kato Shuntai was a potter from Seto Akatsu village during the end of Tokugawa Shogunate period. Born in a potter family in Seto, the family was one of the three Okamaya families, the Nihei family. His talent blossomed early on and at the age of 15, he succeeded the work of his father, Kagenori (Shunzan), and became a member of Okamaya.

He is known as one of the three great master craftsman of the late Edo period, along with Hirazawa Kuro and Ohashi Shuji.