{"product_id":"p6473","title":"Bizen sake bottle","description":"This is a Bizen sake flask by the late Kaneshige Toyo, a Living National Treasure and the great restorer of Bizen ware.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nGiven that the potter's mark \"To\" is relatively short, this piece is believed to have been created in his final years during the late 1950s.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe entire surface features soft, fine-grained *kase-goma* (matte ash glaze), giving this flask a rare and distinctive aesthetic that could be described as fully *kase-goma*.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe base and lower body reveal a faint orange clay texture, hinting at the superb quality of the clay hidden beneath the ash glaze, which develops even more beautiful hues when wet with sake, delighting the observer.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nMoreover, this work possesses another hidden charm: by peering closely into the neck inside the rim, one can catch a glimpse of the exquisite *hidasuki* (fire-cord) red hidden within, a truly fascinating detail.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe form also showcases the distinct characteristics of Kaneshige's late period; as he grew older, his rims became smaller while the bodies became more stately. This piece captures that same quality, with a dignified body that feels larger than it actually is, contrasted by a small, exceptionally elegant rim.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe masterful rim design allows for a graceful \"tokuri-tokuri\" sound—the very origin of the word *tokuri*—as you pour the sake.\n\nSigned wooden box (shiho-san style)\u003cbr\u003e\nRim 3.3cm × Body diameter 9.2cm × Body diameter 9.1cm × Height 12.7cm, Capacity approx. 400cc\n\nKaneshige Toyo (1896–1967, born in Inbe, Bizen City) was the eldest son of the kiln master Kaneshige Baiyo, from a branch family of one of the six traditional Bizen pottery houses.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe began his pottery career under his father's tutelage and rose to fame for his hand-built teapots (*hohin*).\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nFrom the Taisho to early Showa periods, he conducted extensive research into kiln packing, firing techniques, and traditional clay preparation, successfully recreating the clay texture of Momoyama-period Bizen ware in 1930. From around 1932, he began using the potter's wheel and focused his efforts on creating tea ceremony ceramics.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe cultivated deep friendships with figures such as Kawakita Handeishi, Arakawa Toyozo, and Miwa Kyusetsu. After the war, he expanded his artistic range, influenced by masters like Kitaoji Rosanjin and Isamu Noguchi.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHaving breathed new life into Bizen ware, which had been in decline since the Edo and Meiji periods, he is celebrated as the \"restorer of Bizen ware.\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1954, he was recognized as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama Prefecture, and in 1956, he became the first person to be designated a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property—commonly known as a Living National Treasure—for Bizen ware.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe was invited as a summer lecturer at the University of Hawaii in 1964 and 1966.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1967, he performed a demonstration for Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun during their visit to Bizen.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe passed away in 1967.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nMajor awards and honors include the Chugoku Cultural Award, the Sanyo Shimbun Award, the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, the Medal with Purple Ribbon, and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.","brand":"金重陶陽","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618053705825,"sku":"6473","price":600000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/6473.jpg?v=1790231556","url":"https:\/\/tourakuen.myshopify.com\/en\/products\/p6473","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}