About Bizen-yaki

Bizen-yaki, named after its place of origin in Okayama Prefecture, is said to be the oldest form of pottery in Japan.

The pottery technique of Bizen-yaki makes the outcome of the firing process unpredictable, thus making each cup a piece of art. The process begins with the preparation of the raw clay. The clay is collected from the hills and sometimes mixed with a combination of clay from different locations. It contains a lot of iron and organic matter, resulting in a rough finish of the pottery.  There are are several techniques that give Bizen-Yaki its unique look. The burning of rice straw or pine wood alongside the pottery will result in a reddish brown color while the ashes covering them gives a smoother finish. The location of where the pottery is placed in the kiln is also of great importance for the finish, but it is hard to control since it is dependent on a lot of factors, and the style/technique of the artisan creating the pottery plays a great role.

Bizen ware takes a long time to finish. Once the kiln is fired, it has to be kept burning for one to two weeks non stop, feeding it new firewood every few minutes. The kilns are fired only once or twice a year as a result of this difficult and exhausting process.

This very special procedure with the unpredictable result is reflected in our cups, which are only produced in limited numbers each year.

Asemi Co. Bizen-yaki cups are made by the artisan Kiko Ando in Bizen, Okayama.