Taikai (大海 - vast ocean) Chaire, Hidasuki

Elegant Bizen tea caddy (chaire) made by Kimura Tōhō (b.1928). Rice straw cords soaked in salt water were wrapped around the unglazed body during firing, leaving red marks on the surface. This ancient technique, already known from pieces of the Momoyama period (1573-1603), is called hidasuki ("red ribbon" or "fire cords").

Kimura Tōhō was born in Bizen in 1928. As the eldest son of Kimura Seiji, he took over the old, traditional family workshop in 1967. His kiln is called Tōshō-en (lit. "True Clay Garden"), which was established by his father in 1913. His father, Seiji, was born into one of the most important pottery families in Japan, as the Kimura family was honoured by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) himself as one of the six great pottery families of Bizen.

Tosho-en Kiln started to produce their works in 1913 by his father Shoji Kimura. He succeeded in this kiln in 1962. All his sangiri works are also strong, simple and full of wabi-sabi essence with very stunning colours.

As for Shifuku, it is a rare Narunami pattern.