Bizen Beer Drinker

This is a Bizen beer tumbler by Sosu Kaneshige, who inherited the Maruyama kiln as the eldest son of Sozan Kaneshige and captivates many with his harmony of delicate, elegant clay texture and powerful form. It is crafted from the relatively sandy, coarse-grained clay that Sosu-sensei uses for his tableware; the bright caramel-brown clay body features raised sand grains that create a surface perfect for a beer tumbler. Chilling the piece before use not only enhances the flavor of the beer, but also causes fine water droplets to form on the surface, making the clay texture shine with even greater beauty. By using it daily, the clay body—fired using only carefully selected, high-quality clay—will be further burnished, taking on a deeper, more profound character over time. The "goma" (ash glaze) on the rim is visually striking and also enhances the texture, acting like a natural coating. (*Please note that there is a slight wobble, which is due to the shape of the base.) Signed wooden box (double-slat lid)
Diameter 7.3cm x 7.1cm x Height 11.2cm Sosu Kaneshige is the eldest son of the Intangible Cultural Property holder Sozan Kaneshige. After graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture at Kyoto University in 1969, he began his path in ceramics under his father. He became independent in 1979. He primarily works on tea ceramics using a potter's wheel, characterized by deep, rich firing. He strives to eliminate decoration as much as possible, focusing on channeling his spirit directly into the clay. He rarely submits work to open exhibitions, preferring to focus his energy on solo exhibitions, which he holds actively every year at department stores and other venues in Okayama, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Kumamoto. In 1995, he also held a solo exhibition in Munich, Germany, and in 1997, his work was featured in the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition.