Bizen Sake Cup

This is a newly fired Bizen sake cup by Kosuke Kaneshige, leader of the Kaneshige family and son of the great restorer of Bizen ware, Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. Similar to the previous firing by Junpei Kaneshige, the firing method was altered toward the end, resulting in a deeper overall color and a wealth of variations in the piece's landscape. It is an exquisite example of *kase* (matte) kiln transformation: the left side features an ash-covered (*haikaburi*) sea cucumber-skin glaze, the right displays a vibrant, blue-green verdant *kase* sesame glaze, the center showcases a refined scarlet hue, and the interior reveals a faintly shimmering black-silver ash coating, making it a piece rich with points of interest. The strength of the firing and the sharp contrast of the kiln transformation provide immediate visual impact, while the subtle shifting of colors where the scarlet, matte, and ash-covered glazes meet offers a glimpse of how the *kase* surface will evolve as it is used over time—a work that promises to provide joy from the very moment you pick it up and well into the future.

View Kosuke Kaneshige's blog post Includes signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 8.1cm × Diameter 7.2cm × Height 5.0cm 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 exhibiting ceramic works in 1975, and after working as a lecturer in the School of Letters at Tokai University, he returned home in 1977. He built his own climbing kiln in 1982. He produces objects, tea utensils, 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 and exhibited at the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition in 1997. He holds solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Osaka, and other locations. In 2012, he was designated as a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture.