Sake set 1 pc Tokkuri bottle and 2 pcs Cups Sankei | Kusuo Baba's work in Shinemon Kiln [146178]

[Size of Bottle]
Width: 9.5cm / Height: 13.3cm
Width: 3.7in / Height: 5.2in

[Capacity of bottle]
400 ml
13.5 oz

[Size of Cup]
Width: 6.6cm / Height: 4.7cm
Width: 2.6in / Height: 1.9in

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This work, titled *Sankei* (“Mountain Scenery”), is a creation by Ky?suo Baba, the second-generation master of the Shinemon Kiln?one of the most distinguished kilns representing Arita ware. The design expresses a grand mountain landscape, with distant peaks emerging beyond the horizon. The vivid contrast between the red *shinsya* (cinnabar) glaze forming the mountain ridges and the deep black *tenmoku* glaze representing the surrounding sky creates a striking visual harmony. The result is a piece with remarkable depth?drawing the viewer in as though into a distant natural vista.

The Shinemon Kiln is celebrated for its mastery of the *Y?hen* technique, which involves the unpredictable transformation of glazes within the kiln. These natural changes reveal mysterious and often sublime expressions, evoking the beauty of the natural world. In this particular piece, the rich, black *tenmoku* glaze conjures the depth of a night sky, while the crimson ridgelines of *shinsya* appear to glow from within?like mountain peaks illuminated by the last light of dusk.

*“Sankei”* captures the grandeur of nature and translates it into glaze. It is a poetic and contemplative work that holds a quiet yet powerful emotional resonance, inviting the viewer to experience both the vastness of the natural world and the stillness of art.


[Potter Profile]
Kusuo Baba
(The second-generation head of the Shinemon Kiln)
Member of Nitten / Councilor of the Japan Contemporary Arts and Crafts Association / Vice President of the Saga Prefecture Ceramic Association / Director of the Saga Art Association

I create works that inherit the tradition of Arita ware while aligning with contemporary sensibilities. I specialize in the Yohen technique, which skillfully manipulates glazes, adding an element of serendipity to each piece as it reaches completion, thereby expressing a mystical beauty.

[Kusuo Baba's career is as follows ]
Born in 1952
1976: Joined the Saga Prefecture Ceramic Research Institute, where he learned the basics of ceramics and began researching glazes.
1980: Joined Maemon Kiln and began creating pottery, continuing his research on glazes to this day.
1981: Received strong guidance from Ryuzan Aoki, a recipient of the Order of Culture.
1997: Selected for the Nitten exhibition for "Kyoku Ei." Subsequently, he has been selected 20 times.
2004: Exhibited "Haruka wo Nozomu" and "Umibe no Uta" at the Arita Pottery Exhibition in Germany.
2010: Held the "Encountering Colors at Ogurayama" exhibition at Jojakkoji Temple in Kyoto.
2014: Appointed as a judge for the 53rd Contemporary Arts and Crafts Exhibition.
2021: Elected as a councilor of the Japan Contemporary Arts and Crafts Association.

[Main Awards]
1997: Selected for the Nitten exhibition for "Kyoku Ei."
2000: Awarded the Grand Prize and the 50th Anniversary Special Prize at the Saga Prefecture Exhibition for "Haruka na Sazanami."
2003: Received the Ryuzan Aoki Prize at the 100th Anniversary Kyushu Yamaguchi Ceramic Exhibition for "Umibe no Uta."
2005: Received the Contemporary Craft Award at the Contemporary Craft Exhibition for "Reimei-05."
2008: Received the Contemporary Craft Full Member Award at the Contemporary Craft Exhibition for "Kyoku-08(1)."
2011: Received the Director's Award at the 50th Anniversary Japan Contemporary Arts and Crafts Exhibition for "Sazanami no Uta."
2012: Won the Special Prize at the Nitten exhibition for "Haruka na Mine."
2012: Received the Grand Prize and the Ryuzan Aoki Prize at the Contemporary Crafts Kyushu Exhibition for "Sankei."