Bizen Raku Chawan

This is a Bizen Raku tea bowl by Kei Fujiwara, an artist beloved by all for a warm style that exuded kindness and a bold, open-hearted spirit. This Raku tea bowl is a collaborative work with Muneyasu Kurozumi, the sixth head of the Kurozumikyo sect, created at the Daigen Kiln of the Kurozumikyo headquarters to commemorate the completion of the Shinto-zan Daikyoden in Okayama Prefecture. The dignified brushwork of Muneyasu’s inscription, "Joyo" (Expanding Sunshine), perfectly harmonizes with Fujiwara’s warm, all-embracing style, resulting in a bowl as relaxed and enveloping as the inscription suggests. The pale loquat-colored surface of the Daigen kiln Raku-ware is deeply evocative; simply gazing at it, even before whisking a bowl of tea, one can almost see the fresh green of the matcha rising within the well of the bowl. Having likely been used a few times, the fine network of crackles (kannyu) already appearing on the interior speaks to the way this piece—characteristic of Raku-ware—will mature over time. From a historical perspective, it is also a valuable piece that reflects the close connection between modern ceramic history and modern religious history. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 13.6cm × 13.2cm × Height 10.0cm Kei Fujiwara (1899–1983, born in Honami, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) entered the world of Bizen pottery at the recommendation of the Bizen-based scholar of Japanese literature, Atsuo Masamune.

He received instruction in techniques such as wheel-throwing from Baikai Mimura, and from 1941, he refined his craft by learning firing methods from Toyo Kaneshige, the first Living National Treasure for Bizen pottery.

In his creative process, he aspired to the simplicity and boldness found in ancient Bizen pieces from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, establishing a style that was simple, clear, and generous without being overly reliant on technique.

The artistic sensibilities he cultivated in his youth while aspiring to be a writer and poet also had a significant influence on his work.

In 1954, he was designated a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama Prefecture, and in 1958, he was appointed a director of the Japan Kōgei Association.

In 1970, he was designated a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property by the national government, commonly known as a Living National Treasure.

In 1977, the Kei Fujiwara Memorial Museum opened in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture.

He passed away in 1983.

Major awards and honors include: Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Chugoku Cultural Award, Honorary Citizen of Bizen City, Honorary Prefectural Citizen of Okayama, Junior Fifth Rank, and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class.