Straw white ash katakuchi (Japanese sake cup)

Width: 10.6cm Depth: 10.0cm Height: 10.5cm

Straw and Ash Katakuchi (Straw and Ash Katakuchi) by Tadashi Nishibata - an impromptu poem of white and charred wood that evokes a valley of melting snow

Straw ash creates a glaze that resembles a snowy landscape

The glaze that covers this piece is a "straw white ash glaze" made mainly from straw ash. It produces a soft milky white color while drawing out the iron in the base and scattering ink-colored spots. The glaze chips and bleeds that remain here and there create a landscape reminiscent of the surface of a mountain after the snow melts in early spring, revealing the bare earth, and give the piece a sense of depth, as if looking at an abstract painting by nature.

The swaying ridges and the functional beauty of the katakuchi

The body is based on a generous rectangle, with wavy edges and a gently curved interior. The spout, unique to katakuchi, is shaped in such a way that part of the chamfer is pushed inward, and the glaze flows somewhat thickly, pooling white, reminiscent of an overhanging snow cornice. From a practical standpoint, the angle of the spout and the opening are well balanced, and when sake or soup stock is poured, the liquid drains off very smoothly, achieving a high level of functionality and aesthetic beauty.

The rustic charm and warmth of Tanba soil

The base is made of rough clay from Tanba, which is rich in iron, and the reddish-brown surface is exposed in the thin areas of the glaze and around the foot. The rough grain of the surface gives it a rough feel, contrasting with the soft luster of the straw white, allowing you to experience the energy of "earth and fire" both visually and tactilely. The glaze is still applied to the sides of the foot, and the ash that flew in the climbing kiln has melted slightly, removing blue-gray spots, giving a lingering impression of the kiln transformation.

The appeal of Katakuchi sake cups that can be used in a wide range of applications

Katakuchi are originally used as sake or sauce containers, but in modern dining tables they are used for many purposes such as flower vases. Although this piece is small in capacity, it has a wide opening and a stable base, making it easy to handle when pouring green tea or cold sake, and fully demonstrating its practicality as a vessel. The white of the straw white and the reddish brown of the base bring out the colors of the food and will look great in any table setting.

The spirit of wabi-sabi and modernity

Nishibata Tadashi says, "I let the flames and ashes speak, and I just organize the blank spaces." This piece is exactly the result of a minimal amount of artificiality and respect for the randomness of the natural glaze. At the same time, by adopting the modern katakuchi style of pottery, he adds modern usability and freshness to the traditional Tamba ware, perfectly bridging the wabi-sabi spirit with today's lifestyles.

A second view painted by time

The finely crazing straw white ash glaze slowly absorbs the ingredients of sake or tea as it is used, causing the lines to turn a pale gray-brown. The area around the spout also becomes more lustrous with each touch of liquid, creating a contrast with when it was unused, and carving out the unique beauty of its owner. Over the years, the white becomes more subdued, the speckles take on softer nuances, and you can enjoy the process of the vessel as a whole gaining depth.

Masashi 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, Handon no Kai, Nogawa Memorial Award. 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, Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition, Excellence Award, Hyogo Prefecture Emerging Artist Encouragement Award. Invited to exhibit at the NHK-sponsored Paris-Japanese Ceramics Now 100 Selections, 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 Art Exhibition, solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
1997 Encouragement Award at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition 1998 Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition 2000 Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Fukuoka 2001 Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition at Gallery Dojima 2002 Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Solo exhibition at Gallery Dojima 2003 Solo exhibition at Santa Fe Touchingston, USA 2004 Father and son exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima store Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition 2005 Exhibited at Akashi City Museum of Culture and Hyogo Ceramics Exhibition Purchased Akadobedai, Hyogo Ceramic Art Museum Solo exhibition at Gallery Dojima Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi 2006 Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Japan Society Gallery of New York Solo exhibition at Takashimaya Yokohama Touchingston, USA Father and son exhibition at Takashimaya Matsuyama 2007 Toshun-kai Exhibition, Sogo Yokohama Encouragement Award at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition 2008 Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition Solo Exhibition, Yokohama Takashimaya Mitsukoshi Main Store, Santa Fe, Touchingston, USA Toshun-kai Exhibition, Funabashi Seibu Sogo Hiroshima Invited to exhibit at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition 2009 Solo Exhibition, Gallery Dojima, Sendai Mitsukoshi 2010 Sogo Kobe Exhibited at the Musee Tomo Grand Prize Exhibition, Contemporary Tea Solo Exhibition, Yokohama Takashimaya Touchingston, USA, Santa Fe, 2011 Invited to exhibit at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition Solo Exhibition, Joan B. Marvis, New York, USA Invited to exhibit at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition 2013 Exhibited at the Musee Tomo "Contemporary Famous Bowls" Solo Exhibition, Mitsukoshi Main Store, Santa Fe, USA Miyazaki Gallery, Sogo Kobe Chiba Sogo 2014 Solo Exhibition Solo Exhibition, Mitsukoshi Main Store, Santa Fe, USA 2015 Received the Hyogo Prefecture Cultural Award in 2016. Exhibited at Higashihiroshima City Museum of Art for Ceramics that Color Our Lives - Food Wares. Exhibited at Joan B. Marvis' 40th Anniversary Exhibition in 2017.
Solo Exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in 2018

A conversation with Masashi Nishibata