Bizen Guinomi

This is a freshly kiln-fired Bizen sake cup by Kousuke Kaneshige, the leader of the Kaneshige family and son of the legendary Living National Treasure, Toyo Kaneshige, known as the restorer of great Bizen ware. This piece not only features the beautiful clay texture characteristic of the Kaneshige school, but it is also a work that allows you to fully enjoy a "haikaburi" (ash-covered) kiln-changed black finish—the centerpiece of climbing kiln firing. The high level of Kousuke-sensei's kiln-firing technique is truly remarkable; the intense firing pushes the limits as if he had been in deep consultation with the clay itself. While it is all "haikaburi" black, you can compare and enjoy the difference between the rich, dense black of the ash-covered exterior and the ink-like black of the interior, which gains a seductive allure when moistened by sake. Adding sake to the cup further polishes this magnificent black, imbuing it with exceptional beauty. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included.
Diameter 6.8cm x 6.7cm x Height 5.2cm Kousuke Kaneshige is the third son of Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. He graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts with a degree in sculpture in 1968 and completed his master's degree in sculpture there in 1970. He began presenting ceramic works in 1975, and after serving as a lecturer at Tokai University, he returned to his hometown in 1977. He built his own climbing kiln in 1982. He produces objects, tea utensils, flower vases, tableware, and sake vessels. In 1991, he created the ceramic mural "Light and Wind" for the Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance building in Okayama. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1994. In 1997, he exhibited at the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition and has held solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Osaka, and various other locations. In 2012, he was designated as a Holder of Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property.