Bizen Sake Cup

This is a new Bizen sake cup by Kosuke Kaneshige, the leader of the Kaneshige school and son of the late Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige, the father of the great Bizen ware revival. The piece was buried in embers and fired to the absolute limit, cloaking it in a black-silver kiln transformation. Despite this, the "nuke" (unfired areas) on the front and sides reveal a faint, orange-tinged earthiness—a testament to skillful temperature control and painstaking clay preparation. The masterfully confident wheel work reflects his years of experience, resulting in a form that is both orthodox and filled with tension. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 6.3cm x Diameter 6.2cm x Height 6.1cm Kosuke Kaneshige is the third son of Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. He graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts with a degree in sculpture in 1968 and completed his master's degree in sculpture there in 1970. He began presenting ceramic works in 1975, and after serving as a lecturer at Tokai University, he returned to his hometown in 1977. He built his own climbing kiln in 1982. He creates a wide range of works, including sculptural objects, tea wares, flower vases, tableware, and sake vessels. In 1991, he created the ceramic mural "Light and Wind" for the Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance building in Okayama. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1994. In 1997, his work was exhibited at the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition. He has held solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Osaka, and elsewhere. In 2012, he was designated a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture.