Bizen sake cup

This is a new Bizen sake cup by Junpei Kaneshige, the eldest son of Kosuke Kaneshige, the leading figure of the Kaneshige lineage. It features a magnificent "kase" (matte, dry-textured) surface that makes one wonder if even the smoke in the Kaneshige kiln is of a superior quality; it offers a joy of use that is felt not only by the eyes but also in the palm of the hand. The distinctive "nuke" (clear, unfired patches), reminiscent of waves crashing against a rocky shore, complements the blue-tinged kase-goma (ash glaze) perfectly. The "tsuchi-aji" (the flavor of the clay), with its gradations of orange, brown, and purple—a testament to the profound nature of Bizen clay—seems to change its hue moment by moment, even now that it has been fired. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 6.9cm × Diameter 6.7cm × Height 5.8cm Junpei Kaneshige was born in Komaba, Tokyo, in 1972, the eldest son of Kosuke Kaneshige. He graduated from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Waseda University in 1994. In 2000, he completed a graduate program in sculpture at Long Island University in New York, USA, and upon returning to Japan, he studied under his father, Kosuke Kaneshige.