This light beige and orange Bizen-yaki yunomi (teacup) is decorated with the hidasuki (緋襷) pattern. This traditional decoration is created when the potter wraps rice straw around a piece before placing it into the kiln, where the alkalines in the straw react with iron in the clay body to produce these striking scarlet burn marks.

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.

Dimensions:

6.8cm (2.7in) - width
6.3cm (2.5in) - height
115ml - capacity

Condition: Very good

This vintage Japanese item ships from the United States