Faceted flower vase

For this vase Tsujimura, an artist from the Nara area of Japan, sliced the sides of a clay block using a long sashimi knife to create a rough, earthy quality. The artist prepared the glaze by combining natural ash with feldspar and siliceous stone. He used a small kiln just large enough to contain several pieces, firing them at an extremely high temperature.

This vase is intended for use in the alcove (tokonoma) of a tea ceremony room. The block of clay that comprises this example has only a small opening, as this type of vase would hold a single branch of a flowering tree. The thick bottom is for balancing the tall, heavy branch.