Ao-mishima Kiyomizu-yaki Incense Censer
Igura ToshiyaThis Kiyomizu-yaki lidded kōro (incense censer) has an elegant, tall shape and is decorated in a unique style called ao-mishima (青三島). In contrast to the traditional mishima style which employs white slip to highlight stamped designs, here a stylish blue is used instead to fill in the stamped flowers. The base glaze underneath is a textured matte black.
This style of kōro (香炉 - incense censer) is designed to be filled with incense ash and can be used either with incense sticks or with charcoal to heat nerikō and kōboku.
To use with incense sticks, simply remove the lid and place a lit stick vertically in the ash. As the stick burns, the spent ash will fall into the censer and can be mixed with the rest of the ash after the stick has burnt through. Burning in ash lets the stick burn completely, without leaving any unburnt nubs behind. If you'd like, you can put the lid back on once the stick has burned below the rim of the censer and enjoy the sight of the smoke diffusing through the holes in the lid.
To use with nerikō or kōboku, use the soradaki technique. Place a lit tadon halfway in the ash and place a piece of nerikō or kōboku next to it. You can keep the lid off or on, depending on your preference. A more thorough explanation of this technique can be found here.
Kiyomizu-yaki (清水焼) (also called Shimizu-yaki) is a type of Japanese pottery that traditionally comes from the Gojōzaka district near Kiyomizu Temple, in Kyoto, Japan. A subset of Kyo-yaki which refers to all pottery made in the Kyoto area, Kiyomizu ware has been produced since the 16th century
This censer was made by Igura Toshiya (井栗敏也) of Toshiya Kiln (敏也窯). Born in 1962, Igura-san opened his own kiln in 1984 and has since been known for his unique spins on classic styles.
Made in Japan. Ships from the United States
Width: 8 cm (3.1 in)
Height: 11.5 cm (4.5 in)
Kiyomizu-yaki (清水焼) (also called Shimizu-yaki) is a type of Japanese pottery that traditionally comes from Gojōzaka district near Kiyomizu Temple, in Kyoto, Japan. A subset of Kyo-yaki which refers to all pottery made in the Kyoto area, Kiyomizu ware has been produced since the 16th century
In modern usage, mishima (三島) refers to a decorative technique called slip-inlay developed in Korea around the 15th century. Much like the earlier Korean inlaid celadon, designs would be carved, etched, or stamped into the clay. However, instead of being carefully filled with coloured clay, the entire piece is coated in white slip (liquid clay), and the excess is then scraped off, leaving just the designs filled with white slip. Finally, the piece is finished with a transparent ash glaze.
Common designs are incised lines, geometric patterns, and stamped flowers (印花 - inka), typically chrysanthemums.
The earliest mishima chawan are called ko-mishima (古三島 - old mishima) and belonged to the first generation of kōrai chawan. However, the vast majority of Korean mishima chawan were produced as gohon chawan (御本茶碗 - made-to-order tea bowls) in the late 1500s and throughout the 1600s. The mishima technique was often combined with other slipware techniques such as hakeme and kohiki.
The earlier ko-mishima bowls tended to have more complex and intricate designs. One common motif was a 'rope curtain', a series of squiggly vertical lines that was said by the Japanese teaists to resemble the cursive vertical writing of the calendars from Mishima shrine, hence the name mishima. Another early name for these bowls was koyomi-de (暦手) meaning calendar style. These earlier bowls often had heavier and looser applications of white slip, and were overall lighter in colour, with a greyer base.
The later gohon mishima had simpler designs, often just rows of diagonally-carved lines and a few stamped flowers. Those that were decorated primarily with diagonal lines are called hori-mishima (carved mishima - 彫三島) and conversely those that were mostly stamped with flowers are somtimes called hana-mishima (flower mishima - 花三島).
