Japanese Iron-Painted Ash Glazed Yunomi/Tea Cup
Handcrafted by Kyoto ceramic artist Yuichi Ikai, this yunomi is finished in a softly luminous ash glaze with expressive iron-painted brushwork, known in Japanese as tetsue (鉄絵).
The pale blue-grey ash glaze (haiyū, 灰釉) flows gently across the surface, shifting in tone and translucency as it interacts with the clay and heat of the kiln. Beneath the glaze, bold strokes of iron pigment emerge in deep brown-black, their edges softened by the glaze to create an almost painterly quality. Each side reveals a different composition as the cup is turned.
The gently irregular form retains the subtle movement of the maker’s hand, while the exposed dark clay at the foot and along portions of the rim provides an earthy contrast to the cool, luminous glaze. Natural variations in the glaze and iron painting make each piece unique.
Dimensions: ⌀ 3" x H 4"
Born into a family of pottery dealers in Kyoto’s historic Gojozaka district, Yuichi Ikai trained under renowned ceramicist and Living National Treasure Uichi Shimizu, as well as Yasutaka Shimizu, before establishing Kihei Kiln in 1984. Ikai is particularly known for his exploration of ash glazes, creating vessels that balance the natural character of clay and glaze with quiet, highly considered forms.
Made by Yuichi Ikai in Kyoto, Japan.
