Bizen-yaki Crane's Neck Vase
GensoThis Bizen-yaki hanaire (花入 - vase) 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 shape is the organic and classic tsurukubi (鶴首 - crane's neck) shape.
This vase was designed by 19th-generation potter Mori Toshiaki for the Genso line and was made by potters of the Mori family. The vase comes in a kiribako (桐箱 - paulownia wooden box) signed by the artist.
Due to the organic and random nature of hand-potting and wood-firing, each piece is unique.
Made in Japan. Ships from the United States.
Width: 8.9 cm (3.5 in) (Widest Point)
Height: 19.4 cm (7.6 in)
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.
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.
