Tanba-yaki White-Glazed Iron-Brown Tokkuri (13cm)

Tanba-yaki White-Glazed Iron-Brown Tokkuri, height approx. 13 cm.
A traditional sake bottle (Tokkuri), designed with a straight body and slightly tapered shoulder, typical of the classic forms found in Tanba, Bizen, and Mino kilns.

The upper half is coated in a white glaze, while the lower section remains unglazed, revealing the natural iron-brown clay. The glaze line flows organically, producing soft transitions and subtle irregularities that speak to handcraft and fire. On the white surface, slight gray tones and burn marks appear—traces of kiln transformation under a reducing atmosphere. The unglazed lower body retains the tactile grain of the clay, earthy and warm to the touch.

Thick-walled and earthen rather than porcelain, this piece exemplifies the quiet strength and rustic grace of Tanba-yaki, known for its contrast between iron-rich clay and soft glaze. The composition evokes a landscape of snow over red earth—an expression of wabi-sabi, where imperfection and nature coexist in harmony.