Bizen sake bottle

This is a Bizen sake flask by Living National Treasure Yu Fujiwara, who expanded his vision beyond Japan to the world to share the appeal of Bizen ware far and wide. It features a charcoal-gray "haikaburi" (ash-covered) glaze with a strong reduction tone, perfectly complemented by the profound "shiso" (perilla) color that symbolizes Yu Fujiwara's work. Amidst the overall dark and heavy color palette, the "botamochi" mark on the back burns with a brilliant red, providing a powerful accent. Although the color tone appears dark and heavy, the actual piece has a pleasant lightness, making it wonderful to use. Original signed wooden box (with two-sided batten)
Mouth diameter 3.7cm x Body diameter 8.6cm x Body diameter 8.5cm x Height 12.5cm Capacity approx. 320CC Yu Fujiwara (1932–2001, born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) was the eldest son of Living National Treasure Kei Fujiwara. In his pottery, he adopted the motto of "simple, clear, and bold," working extensively on jars and bowls, which earned him the nickname "Yu of the Jars." Influenced by Rosanjin Kitaoji, he was also skilled at creating tableware. Starting in 1972, he held a series of exhibitions, including the "Hundred Jars Exhibition," "Sake Flask Exhibition," "Hundred Flowers Exhibition," and "Hundred Bowls Exhibition." He also created many large-scale reliefs and objects. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1967. In 1980, he was designated a holder of an important intangible cultural property by Okayama Prefecture. In 1996, he became the first person in the history of the ceramic arts world to be designated a holder of an important intangible cultural property (Living National Treasure), following in his father's footsteps.
Major awards include: Kaneshige Toyo Award, Okayama Prefecture Cultural Encouragement Award/Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Chugoku Cultural Award, Minister of Education Award for Fine Arts, Academia Grand Prize for Art and Culture, and the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon.