Bizen cup and saucer

This is a newly fired Bizen cup and saucer by Masao Akiya, who studied under Jun Isezaki, the fifth Living National Treasure of Bizen ware, and creates highly original works with a fresh and contemporary spirit.

It is one of his latest works, freshly fired in February 2026.

This cup and saucer is especially appealing for its vivid scenery produced through the traditional anagama firing of the Isezaki lineage, making it a beautiful and stylish set that clearly reflects Akiya’s distinctive sense of Yohen.

The cup, fired with intense heat, is defined by its subdued brown surface, richly infused with smoke, alongside scattered Kigoma that serve as the main visual highlight.

The saucer, by contrast, was fired in a stacked arrangement, resulting in a finish where striking Hidasuki appear like flashes of lightning across the pale surface.

The entire piece is designed with a simple, thin-walled aesthetic, and the handle in particular is crafted remarkably thin, giving it a very distinctive feel in the hand.

He was born in Saitama Prefecture in 1968.
He became a disciple of Jun Isezaki in 1998.
He built his own kiln in 2008 and became an independent ceramic artist.