Bizen Yohen Sake Cup

We have received new sake cups by Kenji Takenaka, an artist who transitioned from jewelry design to ceramics and studied under Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. These wonderful sake cups are packed with creative ideas backed by Mr. Takenaka’s high level of technical skill. The pieces are slowly fired using a low-refractory clay rich in iron, resulting in a substrate coated with black slip that appears to boil into its own unique color. The foaming effect of the "goma" (ash glaze), the ocher-colored interior infused with iron, and the lustrous black surface all merge into a single, unified work.


Kenji Takenaka was captivated by the material of clay and changed his career from jewelry designer. After completing his studies at the Bizen Ceramic Center in 1986, he worked there as an instructor for two years. He began his apprenticeship under Jun Isezaki in 1988 and became independent in 1994. In addition to traditional tea ceremony ware, sake vessels, tableware, and flower vases, he also creates innovative pieces. Through oxidation and reduction firing in an anagama kiln, he displays a diverse range of expressions through changes in red, white, and black coloration and the texture of the clay. He has won the Okayama City Mayor's Award and the Prefectural Exhibition Award at the Prefectural Exhibition, as well as the Sanyo Shimbun Award at the Japan Traditional Kogei Branch Exhibition, among various other honors. He has held solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Okayama, Kurashiki, and elsewhere. We have received new sake cups by Kenji Takenaka, an artist who transitioned from jewelry design to ceramics and studied under Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. These wonderful sake cups are packed with creative ideas backed by Mr. Takenaka’s high level of technical skill. The pieces are slowly fired using a low-refractory clay rich in iron, resulting in a substrate coated with black slip that appears to boil into its own unique color. The foaming effect of the "goma" (ash glaze), the ocher-colored interior infused with iron, and the lustrous black surface all merge into a single, unified work. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 7.4cm x Diameter 7.2cm x Height 5.4cm Kenji Takenaka was captivated by the material of clay and changed his career from jewelry designer. After completing his studies at the Bizen Ceramic Center in 1986, he worked there as an instructor for two years. He began his apprenticeship under Jun Isezaki in 1988 and became independent in 1994. In addition to traditional tea ceremony ware, sake vessels, tableware, and flower vases, he also creates innovative pieces. Through oxidation and reduction firing in an anagama kiln, he displays a diverse range of expressions through changes in red, white, and black coloration and the texture of the clay. He has won the Okayama City Mayor's Award and the Prefectural Exhibition Award at the Prefectural Exhibition, as well as the Sanyo Shimbun Award at the Japan Traditional Kogei Branch Exhibition, among various other honors. He has held solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Okayama, Kurashiki, and elsewhere.