Kyusu #54, Kenji (390ml) Tokoname-yaki
A slightly larger Tokoname kyusu from the Kenji studio. The studio was founded by Kenji Hotta in the 1970s; following the founder's passing, it is now managed by his son, Takumi Hotta. The studio is particularly renowned for its dishes created using the nerikomi technique. These pieces feature a marbled appearance achieved by blending different colored clays and shaping the teapot from the resulting mixture. In recent years, the studio has produced Tokoname kyusu and other vessels with a strikingly modern and bold aesthetic.
This particular kyusu is somewhat larger and features a light-colored clay blend. Additionally, a layer of thin, greenish-grey clay has been applied to the sides of the pot and carved with bold, large grooves, revealing the light, marbled clay body beneath. These patterns give the teapot an appearance reminiscent of grain or bamboo. The handle and spout are attached to the body using a series of small, dotted indentations, a design choice that highlights the connection rather than concealing it. This emphasis is counter-intuitively elegant, lending an intriguing edge to the teapot's look. It features an excellent, wide, fine-mesh strainer, making it ideal for brewing even finely shredded tea leaves. The kyusu is supplied in a decorative cardboard box.
Details
Basic Information
Ceramicist: Kenji Toen (憲児陶苑)
Teapot capacity: 390 ml
Ceramicist's certificate: Yes
Strainer type: wide flat filter made of clay
Ceramic type: Tokoname-yaki (常滑焼)
Teepolku's Comments
A slightly larger Tokoname kyusu (teapot) from the Kenji studio. The studio was founded by Kenji Hotta in the 1970s; following the founder's passing, it is now led by his son, Takumi Hotta. The studio is particularly renowned for its vessels created using the nerikomi technique. This method produces a marbled appearance by blending different colored clays and shaping the teapot from the resulting mixture. In recent years, the studio has produced Tokoname kyusu and other vessels with a strikingly modern and bold aesthetic. This particular kyusu is somewhat larger and features a light-colored clay blend. Additionally, a layer of thin, greenish-grey clay has been applied to the sides; bold, large grooves carved into this layer reveal the light, marbled clay body beneath. These patterns give the teapot an appearance reminiscent of grain or bamboo. Furthermore, the points where the handle and spout attach to the body are marked with dotted indentations, highlighting the joints rather than concealing them. This design choice is counter-intuitively elegant, lending an intriguing edge to the teapot's overall look. The teapot features an excellent, wide strainer with fine holes, making it perfect for brewing even finely cut tea. We ship the kyusu in a decorated cardboard box.