Yohen Round Flower Vase

A wood-fired flower vase in unglazed Bizen stoneware, thrown close to a sphere and closed to a narrow mouth. Nothing is added to the form: no handle, no lug, no incised line.

In recent years, Bizen ware artist Mori Toshiaki has simplified his forms as his attention has shifted toward the varied effects of wood firing. Here, the bare, rounded body becomes a continuous surface for yohen, the changes in color and texture produced by conditions within the kiln. Red, yellow, brown, and blue-black emerge across the clay, alongside areas where ash has accumulated, melted, and run. Smooth passages give way to rough, granular patches and trails of vitrified ash.

The clay was dug from beneath the area where Mori works. Born and raised in Bizen, he considers working there with local clay a matter of course. What interests him is its ability to develop a range of colors in response to conditions during firing.

For this vase, Mori tried a firing approach he had not used before. He laid the vessel on its side near the mouth of the wood kiln, an unstable position for such a round form, and carefully fed the fire so that the logs would not strike it. Its lower body was worked into the embers as the firing progressed. In this horizontal position, ash accumulated and flowed, parts of the body became buried in the embers, and gases moved across the surface, producing variations in color and texture around the vessel.

Despite the challenges of firing a round vessel in this position, the vase emerged almost exactly as Mori had imagined.

There is no fixed front. The flowing ash may catch the eye first, but Mori considers every side a possible face of the vase. Rather than storing it away, he encourages keeping it out and occasionally running a hand over its surface. With repeated touch, the roughness gradually softens, and a subtle sheen develops where it has been handled. This is a vessel to be nurtured, its surface gradually changing as it becomes part of the home.

Mori Toshiaki

Among the esteemed lineages known as the Bizen Rokusei, or Six Ancient Kilns of Bizen ware, Hozan Kiln stands out as a venerable institution. Mori Toshiaki, the 19th-generation successor, masterfully upholds this rich tradition while pioneering new possibilities. Balancing his responsibilities at the kiln with his personal artistic pursuits, Mori conducts extensive research and explores innovative approaches in both shaping and firing techniques, pushing the boundaries of Bizen ware.

Bizen Ware

Bizen ware is a traditional stoneware produced in the Imbe area of Okayama Prefecture. It is one of the oldest ceramics in Japan, and is made using the yakishime technique, in which pieces are fired at high temperatures without glaze to make them durable and water-resistant.

Bizen ware is called "the art of clay and fire" for the exquisite colors and patterns produced by the kiln's flames, and is characterized by its minimalist, wabi sabi design.