Bizen Shuhai

This is a Bizen sake cup by Mitsuhiro Kaneshige, who was born into the 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 work was created through a combination of electric kiln and wood-firing under a variety of conditions, as he sought to approach the texture and presence of the old ceramics he admires.

By reinterpreting the balance between ash coverage and "Goma" (sesame glaze) seen in contemporary Bizen, this piece presents a smooth, sea cucumber-like "Yohen" (kiln-change) surface inside, while "Tobi-Goma" (splattered ash glaze) appears around the exterior.

The well-fired reddish-brown clay tone beautifully enhances the mustard-colored Tobi-Goma, creating an intriguing impression, almost as if two different ceramic surfaces had been joined together inside and out.

The form, inspired by Ido Chawan, fits very comfortably in the hand, enhanced by the supple quality of Bizen clay. Despite its powerful firing, it offers a remarkably natural and straightforward feel in use.

Mitsuhiro Kaneshige was born in 1988 in Imbe, Bizen City, into the 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 (Tea Ceremony Form Exhibition), and in 2024, he held his first solo exhibition.