Getting cups from further North, outside the ancient centre of Japanese teaware production (Kansai, Kyushu, Chubu, etc...) can be complicated. Be it Niigata, Kanto, Tohoku or Hokkaido, many are underrated, produced at a very small scale and rarely make it outside of Japan. Despite being among the more recent teaware production centres, they can often get stuck in tradition.
Yoshio Inoue has crafted a gem. He has taken the traditional soft white glaze and the purple Nihonmatsu clay and combined them in a unique way.
The wide cup spreads the heat wonderfully. It has a tall hollow foot, typical of Korean teacups, that showcases the soft and chalky clay. The cup has a gorgeous spiral motif with the spinning of the cup and the brushstroke applying of the glaze.
It is lovely, full of details and a great marriage of tradition and innovation. I am so grateful to own this small piece of Nihonmatsu ware's excellence!
