Kohiki Sake Cup

This is a new Kohiki sake cup by Toru Ichikawa, who made a striking debut after studying under Ryuichi Kakurezaki. While one is immediately drawn to the avant-garde design brimming with originality, holding it in your hands reveals the immense passion poured into expressing the beauty of clay as a material. To create such beautiful curves and sharp edges, one must understand the nature of the clay and commit an incredible amount of time and effort to the finishing process; this piece was born from tirelessly "forging" the clay, much like a swordsmith. Beyond the white slip applied to the entire vessel, the dynamic splash of white glaze creates a contrast between two shades of white, resulting in a modern Kohiki style typical of Ichikawa. By adjusting the tones of the clay body and the splattered iron glaze to be closer to a bright brown, the translucent white slip is further accentuated, creating a refreshing landscape. (Please note that there is a fissure in the clay, less than 1cm from the rim at the top as shown in photo 3.)

View the blog post about Toru Ichikawa's new works Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 6.4cm x Diameter 5.7cm x Height 5.0cm Toru Ichikawa was born in Tokyo. He began his apprenticeship under Ryuichi Kakurezaki in June 2011 and established his own studio in Tamano City, Okayama Prefecture, in January 2015.