{"product_id":"p7346","title":"Bizen Sake Cup","description":"This is a newly kiln-fired Bizen sake cup by Takashi Soga, a piece created by recreating the same environment used during the era when Old Bizen was fired, in an attempt to capture the beauty of antiquity.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThis piece was fired in May of Reiwa 6 (2024).\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nTo reproduce the firing methods of the Old Bizen era, the work was fired in an all-earthen kiln that rejects modern firing norms and uses no firebricks, which did not exist at the time.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe earthen kiln itself acts as a single massive piece of pottery, resulting in an exquisite texture that transcends modern aesthetics to closely approach the quality of Old Bizen.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nFor this firing, the artist took on the unprecedented challenge of a very long 19-day firing, resulting in a refined 'kase-goma' (matte ash glaze) and 'haikaburi' (ash-covered) kiln transformation atop the austere, earthy flavor characteristic of Old Bizen.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe fine-textured kase-goma and kiln transformation covering over 60% of the piece possess a surprisingly mellow quality—in the best sense—that hardly seems like Bizen ware, creating a superb effect that makes one want to roll it in their palm forever.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe base texture of this piece features a unique, slightly golden hue. As the surface exposes this distinctive earthiness—much like the peeling, dried bark of a tree—it achieves the cold, withered texture of Old Bizen that can only be reached through an earthen kiln.\n\nTomobako (signed wooden box with four-way interlocking joints)\u003cbr\u003e\nDiameter 6.8cm x 6.6cm x Height 5.8cm\n\nTakashi Soga was born in Tokyo in 1984.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe studied under Jun Isezaki in 2009, and in 2012, he built an all-earthen kiln in Kugu, Bizen City, without the use of firebricks.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe became independent and began his pottery career in 2013.","brand":"曽我 尭","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618129268833,"sku":"7346","price":16500.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/7346.jpg?v=1790232574","url":"https:\/\/tourakuen.myshopify.com\/en\/products\/p7346","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}