This Bizen-yaki mug was fired in a traditional wood-fueled noborigama (登り窯 - climbing kiln), with the ash and flames producing the rustic texture and organic colours that Bizen-yaki is loved for. The particular effect seen here is called sangiri.
This mug was designed by 19th-generation potter Mori Toshiaki for the Genso line and was made by potters of the Mori family. The bowl comes in a kiribako (桐箱 - paulownia wooden box) signed by the artist.
Due to the organic and nature of hand-potting and wood-firing, each piece is unique.
Specifications
Made in Japan. Ships from the United States.
Width: 11.2 cm (4.4 in) (Widest Point)
Height: 8.3 cm (3.3 in)
Capacity: 270 ml
Bizen-yaki Ceramics
Bizen-yaki (備前焼) is a type of Japanese pottery that traditionally comes from Bizen province, now part of Okayama prefecture, Japan. The site of one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns, pottery has been made in Bizen since at least the 14th century.
Fired at high temperature for a long time (as long as 14 days) in wood-burning kilns, Bizen ware is known for its earthen colours and lack of traditional glaze. Because of the clay’s high rate of shrinkage, it is unsuitable for glazing. Instead, the designs found on Bizen ware come from kiln effects and include traces of molten ash resembling glaze and markings resulting from wood-burning kiln firing.
About Sangiri
Sangiri (桟切) is a word used to describe a firing effect occasionally found on Bizen-yaki pieces. In a traditional wood-fired climbing kiln, some areas are prone to filling up with ash, such as the lower chambers or the walls near the fire holes. Pieces that are placed in these locations are often partially buried in ash. The areas that are covered in ash don't interact with the flames or the oxygen in the air, causing them to fire in reduction, turning a cool, blue-grey which contrasts with the warm orange-red of the rest of the piece.
As this effect is purely natural and by chance, each piece is unique and unpredictable. To make more works in this style, a new techinque was developed in the early 1900s called sumi-sangiri (炭桟切 - charcoal sangiri) in which charcoal is used to create the desired reduction pattern.
Meet Genso (幻想) About the Artist
Founded in 2021, Genso is a collaborative project between various kilns in Bizen that was created to promote Bizen-yaki and make it easier for artists to sell their wares. In addition to serving as a platform for artists, Genso serves as a brand for an original line of wares designed by Mori Toshiaki and produced in his kiln.
Born in 1982, Mori Toshiaki (森敏彰) is a 19th-generation potter and next in line to lead Hōzan Kiln (宝山窯). His family is one of the six venerated Bizen-yaki families since the early Edo period. Today, he splits his work between standard wares produced under the kiln's name, his personal artistic expressions, and new ventures such as the Genso line. In doing so, he aims to balance his duty to uphold centuries of family tradition, with a desire to express and innovate.
