Hello everyone, how are you all doing?
We saw the first snow of the season in the western region of Japan mid-week,
marking the arrival of true winter at last.
I hope you are all taking good care of yourselves.
For Bizen ware, however, winter is the peak season.
In terms of style, the warm color tones alone are enough to calm the mind.
Furthermore, regarding their utility, well-fired Bizen pieces offer excellent heat retention that keeps warmth from escaping,
and enjoying hot tea from a Bizen teacup is one of the true pleasures of winter.
Above all, for the artists, the firewood is well-dried,
and the low temperature makes it easier to manage the sweltering work of firing the kiln, making it quite efficient.
At our gallery, we have a number of kiln openings approaching, starting with the work of Tamon Kaneshige.
We are planning to introduce new works on our website and blog as they become available, so please look forward to that.
Now, today I would like to introduce some wonderful sake vessels by the late Rokuro Nakamura.
These are exquisite pieces created during his final years, just before he passed away.
They feature a form characterized by powerful, undulating wheel marks,
serving as a tour de force that hides the distinctive charm of Nakamura Sensei within its strength.
When I briefly rinsed both of them with water, the scarlet hue of the "yohen" (kiln-changed) piece grew deeper,
as if the pigments hidden within the clay were suddenly emerging.
As for the "hidasuki" (fire-cord) piece, the moisture intensified the rich, glossy scarlet,
and combined with its soft, smooth texture, it makes you want to stroke it forever.
Looking at the characteristics—the condition of the box, the prominent wheel marks, and the size—there is no doubt these were made shortly before his passing,
but the overflowing power in the style makes me doubt they were made by someone born in the Taisho era.
On a cold day like today, one cannot help but want to enjoy some delicious hot sake with these two.
Nakamura Sensei's sake cups tended to grow larger in his later years, and both of these are quite large at around 8cm.
Bizen Sake Cup (Yohen)
The balance between the black-silver ash covering and the scarlet hue, essential to the yohen effect, is superb, perfectly harmonizing both charms.
Hidasuki Sake Cup
This hidasuki piece also has a wonderful flavor that speaks to the quality of the clay.
(Rokuro Nakamura / Bizen Sake Cup & Hidasuki Sake Cup Set, with signed box) price: Sold
Yohen size: 7.8cm diameter × 7.8cm diameter × 5.4cm height
Hidasuki size: 8.0cm diameter × 8.0cm diameter × 5.5cm height
Please contact us below for detailed images or inquiries about the works.
Tel 0869-67-2210 Fax 0869-67-2220
Email Kawaguchi Tourakuen (Click to open email)