{"product_id":"p8015","title":"Bizen sake cup, made from the finest clay.","description":"This is a new Bizen sake cup (guinomi) by So Kaneshige, who inherited the Maruyama kiln as the eldest son of Sozan Kaneshige and captivates many with his harmony of delicate, elegant clay texture and powerful form.\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is a brand-new work just taken from the kiln at the end of 2025 (Reiwa 7).\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAs the box inscription \"Saijo-tsuchi nite\" (made with the finest clay) suggests, this sake cup was crafted from the highest grade of rice field clay, fired at the Maruyama kiln, and possesses a remarkably smooth texture.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is said that this premium clay was discovered by Sozan and So about 40 years ago and was stored away in a warehouse after being prepared by hand, without the use of machinery.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is clay that So felt compelled to use, saying, \"It would be a waste to die without using it.\" By being carefully fired in the back of the Maruyama kiln, it has achieved a fine-grained texture so smooth one might mistake it for having been sifted.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nWrapped in straw and fired in the style of antique Bizen, natural ash glazes guided by the straw have formed \"ito-goma\" (fine sesame-like markings) around the base and rim.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn terms of form, the bold spatula work seen in So's kiln-altered pieces is kept subtle, resulting in a quiet style that allows the clay to take center stage.\n\nSigned wooden box (shiho-san)\u003cbr\u003e\nDiameter 6.7cm × 6.3cm × Height 6.6cm\n\nSo Kaneshige was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1945 as the eldest son of Sozan Kaneshige.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe entered the path of pottery under his father in 1969, after graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture at Kyoto University.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe subsequently established his independence in Maruyama, Okayama City, in 1979.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nUsing a potter's wheel, he primarily crafts tea ceramics, characterized by deep, powerful firing.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe strives to eliminate ornamentation as much as possible, focusing on channeling his soul directly into the clay.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe is currently active primarily through solo exhibitions.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe holds energetic annual exhibitions at department stores and other venues in Okayama, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Kumamoto.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1995, he held a solo exhibition in Munich, Germany.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1997, he exhibited at the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 2019, he received the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award.","brand":"金重 愫","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618227441761,"sku":"8015","price":88000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/8015.jpg?v=1790233621","url":"https:\/\/tourakuen.myshopify.com\/en\/products\/p8015","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}