{"product_id":"p6905","title":"Bizen Hidasuki Sake Bottle","description":"This is a Bizen *hidasuki* (fire-cord) sake flask by the late master Toyo Kaneshige, the first Living National Treasure and the great restorer of Bizen ware.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nGiven that the potter’s mark is the abbreviated \"To\" (ト), this piece is believed to have been crafted during his later years in the mid-Showa 30s (approx. 1960s).\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe *hidasuki* technique used here reflects the more refined aesthetic sensibilities of that era. Rather than wrapping the straw around the entire piece, the marks float and intertwine with an exquisite delicacy, reminiscent of the ethereal garments worn by a celestial maiden.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThere is no doubt that the secret power of \"Kannon-do\"—the legendary clay that Toyo Kaneshige himself collected and cultivated, and which is said to be the finest clay in Bizen—is what enabled such an elegantly alluring *hidasuki* finish.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAccording to Toyo Kaneshige’s nephew, Aruho Kaneshige, Kannon-do is \"a truly terrifying clay that seems to see straight to the bottom of your soul.\" This is not an occult or spiritual statement, but a testament to its overwhelming plasticity, which allows the artist’s intentions to be rendered perfectly into form.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIt was the meeting of this extraordinary plasticity with a sensibility polished through tireless effort in humble circumstances that brought this flask—as graceful as a celestial maiden draped in silk—to completion.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nA glance at the rim, which is distinctively Toyo Kaneshige even from a distance, reveals a lovely, subtle touch of *hidasuki* inside the lip, like a dab of rouge. One feels they have witnessed the pinnacle of the sake flask as a vessel—a piece designed to hold libations and host both the master and his guests.\u003cbr\u003e\n\nIncludes original signed box (with *shiho-zan* and double-box construction, plus an appraisal by Kosuke Kaneshige)\u003cbr\u003e\nRim 3.2cm x Body Diameter 8.6cm x Body Diameter 8.5cm x Height 12.7cm; Capacity approx. 350cc\n\nToyo Kaneshige (1896–1967, born in Inbe, Bizen City) was the eldest son of the master potter Baiyo Kaneshige, of a branch family of the Kaneshige clan, one of the six noble houses of Bizen ware.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe began his pottery career under the tutelage of his father and earned early renown for his handmade *hohin* teapots.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nFrom the Taisho era through the early Showa era, he dedicated himself to researching kiln loading, firing methods, and traditional clay preparation, succeeding in the 1930s in reviving the clay texture of Momoyama-period Bizen ware. Around 1932, he began using the potter's wheel and shifted his focus to the creation of tea ceramics.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe deepened his friendships with artists such as Handeishi Kawakita, Toyozo Arakawa, and Kyusetsu Miwa. After the war, he was further influenced by figures such as Rosanjin Kitaoji and Isamu Noguchi, which helped expand his artistic range.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHaving breathed new life into Bizen ware, which had been in decline from the Edo through the Meiji periods, he is known as the \"Restorer of Bizen ware.\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1954, he was recognized as an Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property holder, and in 1956, he became the first individual to be designated a Living National Treasure for Bizen ware.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1964 and 1966, he was invited to serve as a guest lecturer for the summer program at the University of Hawaii.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1967, he gave a demonstration of his craft before Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun during their visit to Bizen.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe passed away in 1967.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nMajor awards and honors include the Chugoku Cultural Award, the Sanyo Shimbun Award, the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, the Medal with Purple Ribbon, and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.","brand":"金重陶陽","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618069139553,"sku":"6905","price":1200000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/6905.jpg?v=1790231985","url":"https:\/\/www.tourakuen.jp\/en\/products\/p6905","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}