We are pleased to introduce a work by Yoshimoto Tadashi (1943-), a leading figure in contemporary Bizen ware, who apprenticed under Living National Treasure Kei Fujiwara for 19 years and inherited his spirit and techniques in their purest form. Mr. Yoshimoto was recognized as a holder of Okayama Prefecture's designated Important Intangible Cultural Property in 2007 and was also selected as an honorary citizen of Bizen City in 2025, making him a truly representative artist of the Bizen ware world in both name and reality. His works are housed in major museums worldwide, including the Sèvres National Ceramic Museum in France, establishing his artistry on an international standard. This piece is a condensation of Mr. Yoshimoto's exceptional skills, featuring the bold forms inherited from his mentor, alongside the refined order achieved through his signature tatara (slab-building) and hand-shaping techniques.
The most striking feature of this work is the vivid hidasuki pattern that adorns its surface. Hidasuki is a traditional Bizen ware decorative technique where rice straw is wrapped around the vessel before firing; the interaction between the flames and the clay causes vibrant scarlet streaks to emerge on the surface. As seen in the accompanying images, dynamic red lines, as if meticulously planned, run across the rustic brown surface of the natural clay, revealing a beauty that seems to imprison the memory of fire within the static vessel. Furthermore, the tactile quality of the hand-formed texture, reminiscent of the tatara technique that led to Mr. Yoshimoto receiving the Okayama Prefectural Cultural Encouragement Award, provides a feeling that adheres to the palm and a pleasant sense of weight. This is a direct manifestation of the artist's thoughts in his fingertips, something mass-produced items can never replicate.
Our shop suggests this vessel, originally crafted for enjoying beer, as a special sake cup for savoring amber-colored aged sake or matured Japanese whisky. Bizen ware, fired for extended periods at temperatures exceeding 1200 degrees Celsius without glaze, contains minute pores. These pores are said to interact with the components in liquids, mellowing their flavor. When whisky is poured, the scarlet of the hidasuki resonates with the golden hue of the liquid, and the rough texture of the clay visually and tactilely softens the alcohol's bite, offering an ultimate tasting experience that allows for a deeper and more contemplative enjoyment of the aged aroma born from the accumulation of time.
While the works of holders of Okayama Prefecture's Important Intangible Cultural Property are firmly established as art objects in Japan due to their rarity and technical foundation, information regarding the background of such artists and precise explanations of their techniques is often scarce in overseas markets. Therefore, a piece of exceptionally high quality like this one is highly prized. This work, imbued with the soul of Yoshimoto Tadashi, who trained for 19 years under the great Living National Treasure Kei Fujiwara, preserving tradition while continuously pursuing refinement that blends with modern spaces, will transcend the realm of mere tools and become a bridge connecting the joy of ownership with history.
- Artist: Yoshimoto Tadashi (吉本正, 1943-)
- Artist's Major Activities: [From 1964] Apprenticed under Living National Treasure Kei Fujiwara (19 years) [1975] Became independent, [1986] Received Okayama Prefectural Cultural Encouragement Award, [1988] Received Kaneshige Toyo Award, [2007] Recognized as a holder of Okayama Prefecture's Designated Important Intangible Cultural Property "Bizen Ware Production Techniques," [2025] Selected as an Honorary Citizen of Bizen City. Regular member of the Japan Kōgei Association.
- Works Housed At: Sèvres National Ceramic Museum (France), Bizen City Museum of Bizen Ware, Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art, etc.
- Period of Production: 2010s (estimated)
- Condition: Very good (no chips, no cracks)
- Accessories: Tomobako (original signed wooden box), Ukon-nuno (wrapping cloth), Shiori (informational brochure)
- Material: Pottery (Bizen ware, hidasuki)
- Dimensions: Height approx. 13.2 cm, Mouth diameter approx. 9.6 cm, Body diameter approx. 12.6 cm, Base diameter approx. 6.1 cm
- Note: All products offered by our shop, even if new and unused, are from a very old production period and are listed as used items. The product may have age-related damage, so please understand and confirm before considering purchase.
