Bizen Yunomi

This is a brand new Bizen tea cup by Takashi Soga, freshly removed from the kiln in June, which challenges the aesthetic of antiquity by recreating the same environment in which ancient Bizen pottery was fired. To replicate the style of the ancient Bizen era, no firebricks or similar modern materials are used; the kiln is fired in a way that defies all modern conventional wisdom regarding thermal efficiency. Consequently, the work transcends contemporary beauty, displaying a superlative quality of clay that rivals that of ancient Bizen. As the kiln itself is constructed entirely of clay—as if firing pottery within pottery—it is said that each firing produces unique variations in the texture and character of the clay. In this piece, the *kinsai hidasuki* (golden fire-cord) markings are more vivid than in previous iterations, with platinum-like fire-cord streaks cast across a silvery base. While works with such *kinsai hidasuki* often tend to have a somewhat sharp texture, this piece is remarkably soft and delicate to the touch, a testament to Soga-sensei’s masterful craftsmanship. Paper box
Diameter 7.7cm × 7.6cm × Height 9.4cm Takashi Soga was born in Tokyo in 1984. He studied under Jun Isezaki in 2009 and built his kiln in Kuguizaka, Bizen City, in 2012. He became independent and began his pottery career in 2013.