Bizen Guinomi

A master who loved Bizen and contributed greatly to its tradition, Mitsuru Isezaki created this sake cup with a depth of character that is unmistakably his.
A career record enclosed up to 1998 (Heisei 10) suggests the piece was made around that time.

Guided by his belief that the essence of Bizen lies in the clay color, he was devoted to fine tatsuchi (paddy-field clay). This cup reflects that conviction: the exterior shows his calm, composed Yohen, while the interior displays a striking, nearly platinum-like gold sheen.

Importantly, the gold is not the only highlight. A rich, almost viscous shiso-tinged clay color emerges, joined by weathered accents of Kase-Goma and Sangiri—assuring that the fundamentals of Bizen are firmly in place.

The form is one of his classic silhouettes: the shoulder narrows slightly while the rim opens gently, yielding a simple, highly usable vessel that sits naturally in the hand.

He was born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture in 1934.
He was recognized as an Important Intangible Cultural Property by the prefecture in 1998.
He died in 2011.