Happy New Year to you all.
Thank you very much for your kind patronage over the past year.
We look forward to serving you again this year.
Kawaguchi Tourakuen has begun its operations for the year starting today, the 5th.
I visited Tamon Kaneshige's kiln at the end of the year,
and managed to see his new works just in time on the 30th,
so I hope to be able to present several pieces on our website around the middle of January
as a "Tamon Kaneshige New Sake Vessel Special Collection."
Please look forward to the launch.
Now, today I would like to introduce two superb sake bottles by Sozan Kaneshige that we received last year.
Both feature magnificent kiln-transmutations (yohen) and it is hard to choose between them,
and even among the customers who saw them in the shop, tastes were quite divided.
Which one do you prefer?
The one on the left allows you to enjoy both kiln-transmutation and the natural quality of the clay, while the one on the right is finished specifically to highlight ash-covered kiln-transmutation.
Left: Kiln-Transmutation Sake Bottle
Perhaps due to a slight inclusion of mountain soil, this piece features a rich, deep clay texture as a highlight.
The kiln-transmutation is, of course, wonderful, but the viscous shiso-purple color beside the front is truly magnificent.
Right: Kiln-Transmutation Sake Bottle
This work is a sake bottle specialized in kiln-transmutation and firing.
When the overall ash-covered kiln-transmutation surface is wet, it changes to a superb black color, almost like sumi ink.
What did you think of these two superb kiln-transmutation sake bottles by Sozan?
Even though we call it all "kiln-transmutation," each has a completely different expression,
and one can deeply feel the mastery of Sozan’s kiln firing.
What they have in common is a thorough attention to detail even in the parts that are not visible.
He fired them with careful consideration given even to the bottom, which is rarely seen when the item is normally placed,
resulting in an interesting landscape no less impressive than the front.
When I put water in them to check the capacity, they held more than they looked,
and yet, the wheel-thrown balance that doesn't feel too light when held is nothing short of magnificent.
He reportedly said, "It would be shameful if it were poorly made when it breaks,"
and I am filled with admiration for the "Sozanism" that pursues beauty thoroughly, even in places one cannot see.
When I asked Tamon about his grandfather Sozan,
I learned that there were several pieces in his home that had been fired in ways that would normally be impossible;
Sozan did not aim to fire all the pieces in the kiln evenly and well,
but instead fired with an approach of aiming for a single masterpiece, even at the cost of ruining the kiln.
It is said that in the middle of a firing, he would look into the kiln, say "This won't do,"
and would quickly stop the fire and give up on the kiln firing.
What is even more incredible is that he would reportedly return to the potter's wheel that very same day to start making new pieces,
which is another episode that offers a glimpse into Sozan’s philosophy on pottery.