Pour the kurozake.

This is a new black sake pourer by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and is breathing new life into the world of Bizen ware with his exceptional sense and masterful sculpting ability. He tears a lump of clay in two, stacks the pieces, and builds the form by hand; the resulting tear marks remain as dynamic scenery reminiscent of a rocky cliff face, conveying incredible power. The piece features the black slip that has become synonymous with the Isezaki family, which has evolved into a vivid cobalt blue kiln transformation through reaction to the intense firing. This cobalt blue transformation has a particularly high affinity with moisture, and it transforms into an even more vivid and brilliant color when wet with sake or other liquids. Natural ash glaze from the kiln wall has dripped onto the front right side and the interior of the vessel, where the mingling of the ash-glazed droplets and the cobalt blue transformation creates a more vibrant indigo hue. With a capacity of slightly over one go (approx. 180ml), this is an excellent piece that is easy to use for an evening drink and offers an excellent pour.
Signed paulownia box (shiho-san)
D 13.0cm × D 9.8cm × H 7.9cm, Capacity approx. slightly over one go Koichiro Isezaki was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious lineage in Bizen ware; his grandfather was Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki, and his uncle was Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki, and he aspired to become a ceramic artist from an early age. After graduating from the Department of Sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He studied ceramics for about two years under Jeff Shapiro, a ceramic artist based in New York City, which greatly broadened his perspectives on art and ceramics. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under his father’s guidance alongside his father’s other students. He first submitted and was selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art’s Tea Ceremony Exhibition in 2002.