Ash-glazed sake bottle by Okada Masaru

Width: 9.3cm Height: 12.6cm

Ash-glazed sake bottle by Okada Masaru - "The snow-like surface of the straw ash cracks like lava, giving each sip of sake the ruggedness of the mountains and fields."

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Overview of the Work

A thick layer of ash glaze is applied to the rough, rough clay, which shrinks vigorously during firing, turning into white crystal flakes that cover the surface of the vessel. The base material peeks through in places, and the contrast with the ink-gray color is reminiscent of the surface of rocks after melting snow. The rim is distorted to the very limit of its roughness, bringing the rustic charm to the forefront. When you pick it up, the uneven surface, reminiscent of the remains of a field burn, provides a pleasant sensation in your palm.

The appeal of ash glaze and "Kairagi"

A very thick layer of ash glaze, mainly made from straw ash, is melted in one go at a high temperature and then rapidly cooled. The glaze pulls on the base, shrinking and cracking, resulting in scaly white spots, a phenomenon known in tea ceremony ware as **kairagi**. This rugged sight is reminiscent of Iga and Shigaraki ware from the Momoyama period, and is truly an "abstract painting by nature." With continued use, the ingredients of sake seep into the gaps in the white spots, softening the dark blue ink color slightly and developing into a deeper landscape.

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A look at history

From the Heian ash-glazed jars to the Momoyama Iga Onioke and on to modern ceramics - ash glaze is essential to talk about the dynamism of Japanese ware-making. Okada Masaru has combined the techniques of Gojozaka, Kiyomizu, Kyoto, with the firewood kiln flames of Sumiyama, Uji, to bring out the potential of ash glaze in its most primitive form, "Kairagi." No two pieces have the same wrinkles, and it's truly a map of once-in-a-lifetime encounters drawn by the kiln.

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Conclusion

This ash-glazed sake bottle seems to reflect the surface of melting snow. When you hold it in your palm, the warmth of the rough surface and the smell of the earth rise up, and the sake poured speaks of time in the mountains. The more you use it, the more the white spots will absorb the bitterness, and the boundary between darkness and snow will blend deeply. Please keep it by your side for a long time, and drink sake with it every season.