Sake bottle (Tokkuri) by Kouken HIbata (1920-2002)
Born in 1920 into the family of the chief priest of Ibe Amatsu Shrine.
In 1970, he retired as director of the Bizen Community Center to devote himself entirely to pottery.
+ Designated as a nationally certified Traditional Craftsman.
+ Recipient of the Okayama Prefecture Award for Cultural and Educational Merits.
+ Executive member and judge of the East Chugoku Branch of the Japan Kogei Association.
+ Regular member of the Japan Kogei Association.
+ Awarded the Minister of Education Prize.
+ Awarded the Okayama Prefecture Governor’s Prize.
H 14.3 cm x W 9.7 cm / 325g
Holds 455 ml.
Very good condition ★★★★☆
No chips, No cracks
Bizen Pottery is produced in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, and is the oldest of the six oldest kilns in Japan. It is an ultimately simple pottery that uses no glaze and no painting.
Hiyose, a precious clay obtained in Bizen, is characterized by its high iron content, high tenacity, and low refractoriness, and the quality and composition of the clay is well reflected in the fired appearance.
Because the firing process takes about two weeks at a high temperature of over 1,200 degrees Celsius, the clay is stronger than other pottery, and patterns are created by ash and charcoal during the firing process. The surface of the pottery has fine bumps and bubbles, and it is said to make sake mellow and tasty.
Bizen ware reflects the Japanese artistic sensibility that emphasizes inner beauty and subtlety.
