ISHIDA Kazuya Rahō Vase with Natural Ash Glaze

Description

The Rahō Vase with Natural Ash Glaze from Ishida Kazuya embodies the distinctive character of an anagama wood firing. Crafted from high-quality Bizen clay, Ishida-san shaped it in his signature Rahō (螺法) style. The grooves across the surface are created by the centrifugal movement of the potter’s wheel, evoking sea shells or geological sediment layers. For the vase rim, Ishida-san employs a technique of tearing and distortion — an approach that appears simple at first glance, yet requires great experience and sensitivity to achieve a balanced form.

The wood firing creates the natural ash glaze that gives the piece its name, enriching the colour palette of the iron-rich clay. Each side of the vase reveals new perspectives, both in form and colour. Inside, traces of ash glaze and subtle goma markings can be found, while the foot merges harmoniously with the body, forming a poetic sense of unity.

Whether used as a vase, vessel, or sculptural object, the Rahō Vase with Natural Ash Glaze reveals the layered complexity of Ishida Kazuya’s ceramics and bears the traces of the handcrafted process in every nuance.

ISHIDA KAZUYA

Spirals and Waves: A Portrait of Nature in the Bizen Style

Ishida Kazuya comes from a family of potters in Bizen. Bizen is one of Japan’s most important ceramic regions and is renowned for its unglazed, high-fired pottery.

For four years, Ishida Kazuya studied under Isezaki Jun, Bizen’s current Living National Treasure. His experience in the United Kingdom, where he worked with slip and slipware techniques, has also had a strong influence on his work. Ishida Kazuya developed a distinctive interpretation of the Bizen style, which he calls Rahō (螺法). The name is derived from spiral-shaped shells.

Indeed, his creations are deeply inspired by nature. Ishida-san is fascinated by the dynamic forms and movements found in ancient rocks and spiralling seashells, and he seeks to capture these patterns in his work. Firing in a traditional noborigama or anagama kiln adds further layers of complexity to each piece through the effects of flame and the natural deposition of wood ash.