Size: Diameter 12.7cm
Height 6.2cm
Box: Comes with box *Works featured in DM

[Introduction from Gallery Ichibankan]

This is a distinctive piece among Kurokaratsu ware, made not with clay but with Karatsu stone. It is made using a technique called Jakatsuyu, which involves layering two types of glaze, a black glaze and a cloudy white glaze, and is fired to resemble snakeskin with fine cracks on the surface. If the cloudy white glaze is fired at a high temperature, it will pop and have a finish that resembles a white snake, but this piece is fired at a moderate temperature, resulting in an elegant finish with translucent glaze dripping down.

Normally, a matcha tea bowl costs more than 200,000 yen, and if it is certified by the head of the family, it can cost as much as 400,000 yen, making it a very expensive piece of pottery. However, Kajiwara-sensei has deviated from traditional values, selling his tea bowl for 88,000 yen, and creating pottery that is suited to the modern era, where the Oku-shiki style is not valued.

[Ceramics history]

1962 Born in Imari, Saga Prefecture
1980 Graduated from Arita Technical High School, Department of Design
1986 Became an apprentice at the Karatsu ware kiln Taiko Sannomaru Kiln
1989 Learned how to make Sencha tea utensils under Mr. Kitamine Daimaru
1994 Selected for Asahi Contemporary Craft
1995 Selected for the Contemporary Tea Ceramics Exhibition
1995 Became independent in Watada, Karatsu City
1996 Selected for Tankosha Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition "Oni-ko"
1997 Built a hole kiln in Otani, Sari
2003: Won the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 100th Kyushu Yamaguchi Ceramic Exhibition
2003 Overseas training in Korea
2004 Visited ancient kiln sites in Korea to "search for the roots of Old Karatsu" "Established the Old Karatsu Research Society"
2005 Geological Expedition to China
2005: Broadcast of "I want to revive the wabi tea bowl" on NHK BS2
2007 Participated in the Ceramic Art Walking Club Members Exhibition
2007 Appeared on NHK Educational TV's "The Pot of Beauty"
2011 Solo exhibition at GALLERY Ichibankan