Bizen Guinomi

A Bizen Guinomi by Kaneshige Toyo—the first Living National Treasure and the great reviver of Bizen.

From the relatively short “ト” (To) seal, it appears to be a late-period work from the 1950s–60s (Showa 30s).

Toyo’s practice was less about merely making Bizen and more about redefining it. Judging from later accounts of the time, the road he walked was anything but easy.

Celebrated as a genius of finely crafted ornamental work, he set that path aside and, at thirty, chose the harder course: to redefine Bizen’s true appeal through wheel-thrown forms and to shoulder the kiln community itself.

In his ornamental pieces, the interior trimming is tuned to millimeter precision and every detail is patiently finished—so much so that even a fractured cross-section would be made to look beautiful in flower vases and fresh-water jars.

Amid that almost fierce rigor, his Guinomi often show a gentler expression—packed with the wit and allure that feel very much like Toyo, a man fond of good drink.

For the clay, he used top-grade material that he personally refined after digging. Fired mid-kiln to court both ash-fall Yohen and Kase-Goma at once, the piece achieves Kase-Yohen, the highest tier of Kaneshige-style Bizen.

The Yohen and the scarlet blush need few words—they are superb. Within the sunset-like hi-iro, a charming little ishihaze, like a dimple at the corner of a smile, peeks out—a chic, playful flourish that Toyo from Imbe might have indulged in, the kind of touch that a Guinomi, with its welcomed freedom, alone permits.

Toyo Kaneshige (1896–1967) was born in Imbe, Bizen City, as the eldest son of Baiyo Kaneshige, the head of a kiln belonging to a branch of the Kaneshige family, one of the six traditional kiln families of Bizen ware.

He began making pottery under the guidance of his father and gained recognition for his hand-built hohin teapots.

From the Taisho period through the early Showa period, Kaneshige devoted himself to researching kiln loading, firing methods, traditional clay preparation, and other aspects of Bizen ware. In 1930, he succeeded in recreating the distinctive clay character of Momoyama-period Bizen ware. From around 1932, he began producing works on the potter’s wheel and also devoted considerable effort to creating tea wares.

He formed close friendships with Handeishi Kawakita, Toyozo Arakawa, and Kyusetsu Miwa. After World War II, he was also influenced by Rosanjin Kitaoji and Isamu Noguchi, further broadening the scope of his artistic expression.

Kaneshige brought new vitality to Bizen ware, which had declined from the Edo period through the Meiji era. In recognition of this achievement, he is often referred to as the “father of the revival of Bizen ware.”

In 1954, he was designated a Holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture. In 1956, he became the first Bizen ware artist to be designated a national Holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property, commonly known as a Living National Treasure.

In 1964 and 1966, he was invited to serve as an instructor at the University of Hawaii Summer Session.

In 1967, when Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun visited Bizen, Kaneshige gave a pottery-making demonstration in their presence.

Toyo Kaneshige passed away in 1967.

Major awards and honors include the Chugoku Culture Award, the Sanyo Shimbun Award, the Okayama Prefecture Culture Award, the Medal with Purple Ribbon, and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.