Shigaraki Guinomi

This is a Shigaraki Guinomi by Tomio Ochi, who has worked quietly and diligently on kiln firing under Yasuhito Abe, pouring his still-unfulfilled aspirations into his ceramics.

Using clay that he once collected in Shigaraki together with Abe-sensei, Ochi fired this piece multiple times—just as he does with his Bizen works.

For this work, he aimed for an even stronger result and fired it an extraordinary seven times. By thoroughly vitrifying the relatively heat-resistant Shigaraki clay, he achieved a brilliant orange surface that almost looks as if it were coated in platinum.

A creamy natural ash glaze has splashed across the front and into the interior, and its unique pale, slightly greenish tone stands out beautifully against the orange body.

This Guinomi is significantly larger than his previous pieces, so it could also be enjoyed not only as a sake cup, but as a small rock glass or a shochu cup.

Please note: the body is slightly absorbent, and if water is left inside for about an hour, the foot area may become damp.

Born in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, in 1949.
Became a disciple of Yasuhito Abe in 1976.
Built a kiln in Ushimado, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, in 1998.