Ash-glazed sake cup by Masashi Nishibata

Width: 7.2cm Depth: 7.0cm Height: 7.0cm

Ash-glazed sake cup by Tadashi Nishibata

- A natural landscape painted with ash, a tranquil universe in the palm of your hand

This work, "Ash Glazed Sake Cup" by Nishibata Tadashi, is a small piece that condenses the beauty of natural glaze, the essence of Tamba ware. Inside the palm-sized vessel, a multi-layered landscape is created by the encounter of flame, ash, and earth.

A landscape woven with ash glaze

On the surface of the vessel, wood ash accumulated during firing and dissolved naturally, creating a beautiful flow of ash glaze. Pale bluish areas, milky white bleeds, and the reddish-brown base surface that emerged during firing overlap, creating a sense of depth that seems to capture the scenery of mountains and watersides. The traces of the glaze have a sense of dynamism, adding a sense of life to the vessel's tranquil appearance.

Six-sided structure and elegant appearance

The entire guitou is composed of chamfered edges reminiscent of a hexagon. The gently undulating rim and firm base give the vessel a sense of tension, giving it a dignified presence despite its small size. The rim is slightly uneven, exuding the warmth of handcrafting, and you can enjoy the different sensations it feels when placed against your lips.

Memories engraved by ash and flames

This sake cup is formed on a potter's wheel and then fired for a long time in a wood-fired kiln. The condition of the glaze changes depending on how the firewood burns, how the ash falls, and where it is placed inside the kiln, and this is reflected in the scenery of the piece. This process, which can truly be called "collaboration with nature," gives this vessel a one-of-a-kind appearance.

Beauty in the silence

This vessel is far from being extravagant or flashy, yet it possesses a quiet, yet undeniable beauty that lingers in the viewer's mind. The way the light flickers when sake is poured into it, the way the scenery rises as it threads its way through the glaze... It is a vessel that shows a new expression with each use, marking the passage of time with its owner.

The essence of Tamba ware in the palm of your hand

This sake cup is a perfect embodiment of Nishibata Tadashi's technique and sensibility in making the most of the extremely natural material of ash glaze and the power of firing. A deep philosophy and aesthetic sense are imbued within its simple form, making it a vessel that truly embodies "beauty in utility."

This "ash-glazed sake cup" is a masterpiece that combines practicality as a sake cup with aesthetic value. Every time you use it, the memories of earth and fire will be transferred to your hands, enriching your everyday moments.

Tadashi Nishibata Biography

Born on February 24, 1948. Started making pottery in 1969. 1976. Hyogo Prefectural Exhibition Encouragement Award. 1986. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition for the first time. 1988. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Japan Crafts Association President's Award. 1989. Selected for the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. Nogawa Memorial Award, Handon no Kai. 1991. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Selected for the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition. 1992. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition. Hyogo Prefecture Emerging Artist Encouragement Award. Invited to exhibit at the NHK-sponsored Paris - 100 Contemporary Japanese Ceramics Exhibition. Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition. 1993. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Solo exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima store. Kyoto Chemin. 1994. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store. 1995. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Solo exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima store. 1996. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Awarded the Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Design Exhibition, solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
1997 Encouragement Award at the Tea Ceremony Design Exhibition 1998 Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition 2000 Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Fukuoka 2001 Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition 2002 Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store Solo exhibition at Gallery Dojima 2003 Solo exhibition at Touchingston, USA 2004 Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Design Exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima 2005 Exhibited at the Akashi City Museum of Culture and Hyogo Ceramics Exhibition Purchase of Akadobedai, Hyogo Ceramic Art Museum Solo exhibition at Gallery Dojima, Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store 2006 Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Design Exhibition Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the New York Japan Society Gallery Solo exhibition at Yokohama Takashimaya Touchingston, USA Father and Son Exhibition at Matsuyama Takashimaya Toshunkai Exhibition, Sogo Yokohama. Encouragement Award at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition in 2008. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Solo Exhibition, Yokohama Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi Nihombashi, Santa Fe, Touchingston, USA. Toshunkai Exhibition, Funabashi, Seibu, Sogo Hiroshima. Invited to the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition in 2009. Solo Exhibition, Gallery Dojima, Sendai Mitsukoshi, 2010. Sogo Kobe. Exhibited in the Musee Tomo Grand Prize Exhibition, Contemporary Tea. Solo Exhibition, Yokohama Takashimaya, Touchingston, USA. Invited to the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition. Solo Exhibition, Joan B. Marvis, New York, USA. Invited to the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition in 2013. Exhibited in the "Contemporary Famous Bowls" exhibition at the Musee Tomo, Kanmi Kikuchi Memorial. Solo Exhibition, Mitsukoshi Nihombashi, Santa Fe, Touchingston, USA. Gallery Miyazaki, Sogo Kobe, Chiba Sogo, 2014. Solo Exhibition, Mitsukoshi Nihombashi, 2015. Received the Hyogo Prefecture Cultural Award in 2016. Exhibited at Higashihiroshima City Museum of Art for "Ceramics that Color Our Lives - Food Ware" Exhibited at Joan B. Marvis' 40th Anniversary Exhibition in 2017.
2018 Solo Exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store

A conversation with Tadashi Nishibata