Bizen Gourd-Shaped Sake Bottle

This is a newly fired Bizen gourd-shaped sake flask by Takashi Soga, an artist who challenges the beauty of antiquity by recreating the same firing environment used for Old Bizen. To reproduce the style of the Old Bizen era, no firebricks or similar materials are used; consequently, the kiln is fired in conditions that defy all modern conventions regarding thermal efficiency. This is precisely why the piece exhibits an exquisite "earthy quality" (tsuchiaji) that transcends modern aesthetics and approaches that of Old Bizen. The gourd, characterized by the deeply refined presence typical of Soga's work, is adorned with a highly dense *hidasuki* (fire-cord) pattern that looks like boiled-down red pigment. While the surface has a withered, weathered appearance, the unique *hidasuki* is highly sensitive to moisture; once wet, the surface transforms into a magnificent texture that harmonizes a wabi-sabi aesthetic with vivid beauty.

See the blog post about Takashi Soga's sake flasks Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Mouth rim 2.5cm x Body diameter 9.3cm x Body diameter 9.2cm x Height 16.7cm; Capacity approx. 310cc Takashi Soga was born in Tokyo in 1984. He studied under Jun Isezaki in 2009 and built his own kiln in Kugu, Bizen City, in 2012. He became independent and began his career as a ceramic artist in 2013.