Bizen Sake Cup

This is a superb new Bizen sake cup by Makoto Kaneshige, who inherited the Enzan Kiln as the eldest son of Sozan Kaneshige and captivates many with the harmony of delicate, elegant clay texture and powerful form. It features a miraculous kiln transformation that defies the laws of flame, where the ash-covered areas become darker and more raised the more they are fired, while the scarlet hue, which typically fades from the clay as it is fired, has been preserved. The area around the base is fired into a dark, ash-covered kiln transformation; it has a rough, dry texture, but once wet, it transforms into a deep, rich black as if painted with sumi ink. The scarlet side also boasts an exquisite finish reminiscent of a ripe persimmon, allowing one to enjoy the elegant and alluring changes in scarlet that stem from the clay-making techniques learned from Sozan Kaneshige. The base has been given extra substance, making the dynamic, bold foot that is the hallmark of Makoto-sensei’s work feel sublime in the hand.

See Makoto Kaneshige’s blog post Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 6.5cm × Diameter 6.0cm × Height 5.8cm Makoto Kaneshige was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1945 as the eldest son of Sozan Kaneshige. After graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture at Kyoto University in 1969, he began his path in ceramics under the tutelage of his father, Sozan. He later established his own studio in 1979. He primarily focuses on tea ceramics using the potter's wheel, characterized by his deep, masterful firing techniques. He strives to eliminate unnecessary ornamentation, focusing on channeling his soul directly into the clay. He rarely enters public exhibitions, preferring to focus his energy on solo exhibitions, which he holds actively every year at department stores in cities including Okayama, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Kumamoto. In 1995, he held a solo exhibition in Munich, Germany, and in 1997, his work was featured in the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition. He was awarded the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award in 2019.