Bizen has had a total of five Living National Treasures over the years andthe most recent has been Isezaki Jun, who was designated in 2004. Amodern twist is granted to...
Bizen has had a total of five Living National Treasures over the years andthe most recent has been Isezaki Jun, who was designated in 2004. Amodern twist is granted to a centuries old technique by hands of a skilled contemporary potter. Isezaki is also known for having revived the Anagama (single chamber firing)in 1961. The anagama is a type of single-chamber tunnel-like kiln that is duginto a hillside. It’s a firing method that suits natural wood-ash firing, fromwhich successful results are a result of both careful design and fortuitouschance. His works reflect this duality in his planned patterning whichfrequently takes on a modern, geometric quality, as well as the subtle surface qualities of traditional Bizen clay.