Bizen Guinomi

This is a Bizen Guinomi from a slightly earlier period by Yuichi Yamamoto, an Intangible Cultural Property holder and the son of the master potter Tōshū Yamamoto, renowned for his almost miraculous craftsmanship.

A printed career record up to 2004 (Heisei 16) is enclosed, and the piece is believed to have been made around that time.

Across the entire surface, an intense kiln effect appears as if the piece had been showered with scoops of ash. On top of the ash-deposited transformation, Nagare-Goma further overlaps, creating an exceptionally bold and dramatic fire pattern.

True to Yuichi’s firing style—using not only split red pine but also mixed hardwood—the Nagare-Goma takes on a colour reminiscent of weathered rock that has been exposed to wind and rain for tens of thousands of years.

The ash-deposited texture itself seems to have risen powerfully, yet every raised area—including the interior—has been carefully shaved and refined. As a result, the surface feels comfortable in the hand and causes no stress during use.

The form, too, bears the impact of this intense firing. What may originally have been a near-perfect, symmetrical circle—typical of “Yamamoto Bizen”—has gently distorted under the heat. In an intriguing way, it feels as though the theme of “wheel-throwing technique” has been deliberately set aside to confront the overwhelming energy of the kiln.

Although it is a slightly earlier work, it shows no stains or signs of use.