Ao-Bizen Iro-Goma Tokkuri

This is an Ao-Bizen Iro-Goma Tokkuri by Mitsuhiro Kaneshige, who was born into Kaneshige Ritouen, one of the six traditional Bizen kiln families, yet pursues his own path in pottery without being bound by the family name.

This is a highly distinctive work that aims for an Ao-Bizen style firing through intense reduction flames, while also creating a texture reminiscent of Ibe-te through multiple firings.

From a distance, it almost appears to be an Ibe-te work finished with applied slip, but when held in the hand, one realizes with surprise that its coloration comes not from slip, but from the firing method itself.

Over the blue-toned surface created by the reduction flames, rich flowing Goma has settled, causing the Goma itself to appear white. In this way, it recalls the white Goma seen on old Bizen works from the Muromachi period and the early Edo period.

Furthermore, as suggested by the title Iro-Goma, this work also incorporates colored decoration. Green and pale blue glazes have been applied so that they blend naturally over the Goma, functioning as accent colors that connect the blue-black clay surface and the white Goma.

In spite of its powerful firing, the surface feels remarkably smooth, and the neck is shaped for a very comfortable grip. It is a thoughtfully designed Tokkuri that reflects Mitsuhiro Kaneshige’s wide-ranging study and collection of many different kinds of ceramics.

Mitsuhiro Kaneshige was born in 1988 in Imbe, Bizen City, into Kaneshige Ritouen, one of the six kiln families of Bizen.

He entered the Bizen Ceramic Art Center in 2017 and held his first kiln firing in 2020.

In 2023, he received the Shubi Prize at the Chanoyu no Zokeiten, and in 2024, he held his first solo exhibition.