Here in the Bizen region, we have had long periods of heavy rain, and the humidity and heat are making it difficult to keep up our appetites.
I find myself tending to just drink liquids, so I am trying to be careful.
Once the rainy season ends, summer will be in full swing, and it will be the season when beer tastes especially good.
We are planning to stock beer mugs from various artists at our shop, so please feel free to inquire.
If you chill Bizen ware for about 10 minutes before use, its excellent cold-retention properties will make your beer taste even better.
These beer mugs are also great for iced barley tea or iced coffee, so please do give them a try.
Now, during this rainy season, I visited Junpei Kaneshige's kiln opening.
I believe I also visited right after the rain during my last visit.
In addition to sake flasks (tokkuri), sake cups (shuzomi), and teacups, we have received works this time featuring stunning "botamochi" (peony cake) patterns by both Kosuke-sensei and Junpei-sensei.
This is a handled bowl by Kosuke Kaneshige.It was fired near the side hole where firewood is added, located between the firebox and the first chamber.
The scene, with its half-yellow sesame glaze (ki-goma) and half-ash coating (haikaburi), is one I personally find very appealing.
Half-moon bowls like this are also featured in books about Toyo-sensei, and I feel this may be one of the best ways to bring out the maximum performance of Bizen clay.
Perhaps it is because you can spread the clay out flat as if looking through a microscope, allowing you to sense every subtle change in the sesame glaze and the "botamochi" markings.
And this is a bowl by Junpei-sensei.
It also features a contrast of black and gold combined with "botamochi" patterns in delicate, blushing shades.
I myself have never been particularly fond of the name "botamochi," but this scene—with its subtle gradations, fine-grained, rich clay, and above all, a soft orange hue that is in no way garish—seems to proudly showcase the softness of the clay, making the name "botamochi" more fitting than anything else.
True to the word "mochi" (rice cake), I love the way it looks so soft you could just reach out and take a bite.
We have received various other works as well, so please feel free to inquire at the contact information below.
Tel 0869-67-2210 Fax 0869-67-2220
Email to Kawaguchi Tourakuen
The scene, with its half-yellow sesame glaze (ki-goma) and half-ash coating (haikaburi), is one I personally find very appealing.
Half-moon bowls like this are also featured in books about Toyo-sensei, and I feel this may be one of the best ways to bring out the maximum performance of Bizen clay.
Perhaps it is because you can spread the clay out flat as if looking through a microscope, allowing you to sense every subtle change in the sesame glaze and the "botamochi" markings.
And this is a bowl by Junpei-sensei.It also features a contrast of black and gold combined with "botamochi" patterns in delicate, blushing shades.
I myself have never been particularly fond of the name "botamochi," but this scene—with its subtle gradations, fine-grained, rich clay, and above all, a soft orange hue that is in no way garish—seems to proudly showcase the softness of the clay, making the name "botamochi" more fitting than anything else.
True to the word "mochi" (rice cake), I love the way it looks so soft you could just reach out and take a bite.
We have received various other works as well, so please feel free to inquire at the contact information below.
Tel 0869-67-2210 Fax 0869-67-2220
Email to Kawaguchi Tourakuen