{"product_id":"banko-yaki-diamond-cut-yohen-kyusu-teapot-mori-iroku-iv-320ml","title":"Banko-yaki Diamond-Cut Yohen Kyusu Teapot - Mori Iroku IV - 320ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eFaceted like a cut gem, this kyusu is a clear step above Mori Iroku's usual work, and the reason is its yohen finish. Yohen, literally \"kiln change,\" is the unpredictable shift in color and surface that happens when flame, heat, and atmosphere react with the clay and its minerals during firing, an effect the potter guides but can never fully control. Here it pulls deep red and orange flashes out of the iron-rich clay, the color and pattern is written by the kiln and never exactly repeated.\u003cbr\u003eThe diamond cut is not molded or stamped. Each facet is carved into the clay by hand with a cutting blade, a single kyusu taking up to half a day to decorate, a technique the Iroku kiln has refined across four generations, and here it wraps the body, lid, spout, and handle alike so the whole pot catches and breaks the light. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeneath the artistry it is a serious tea tool. Thrown from iron-rich Banko shidei clay and fitted with a fine built-in strainer, the kyusu pours cleanly from its tapered spout, while the side handle sits naturally in the hand for smooth, controlled one-handed pouring. The shidei clay is prized for gently softening the astringency of green tea, drawing out a rounder, sweeter cup from sencha and gyokuro.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA piece made to be used and admired in equal measure, a centerpiece for the tea table and a quiet showcase of one of Banko ware's most demanding techniques.\u003cbr\u003eCare: hand-wash with water only, no soap, and air-dry to protect the clay and finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout the artist: \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis kyusu is the work of Mori Iroku IV (born 1963), the fourth-generation head of Iroku Toen, a Banko-ware kiln founded in 1880 in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, the historic heart of Banko-yaki. He learned the family's hand-cutting techniques, including the signature diamond cut and the Matsukawa pine-bark pattern, from his father, Mori Iroku III (1936-2014). Each pot is cut entirely by hand, carrying on a craft the Iroku name has held for more than 140 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecognition:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFourth-generation head of Iroku Toen, a Banko kiln founded in 1880 in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture\u003cbr\u003eRecognized as a Traditional Craftsman, certified by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry\u003cbr\u003eTrained under his father, Mori Iroku III (1936-2014), inheriting the family's hand-cut diamond and Matsukawa pine-bark techniques\u003cbr\u003eContinues a Banko kyusu lineage of more than 140 years\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDETAILS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDetails:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtist: Mori Iroku IV \u003cbr\u003eOrigin: Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, Japan\u003cbr\u003eWare: Banko-yaki (iron-rich shidei clay, yohen kiln finish)\u003cbr\u003eTechnique: Hand-cut diamond (daiya) faceting, the Iroku signature, with a special yohen fired finish\u003cbr\u003eCapacity: approx. 320ml\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Artisanal Japan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45206517055603,"sku":null,"price":219.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0701\/2286\/4755\/files\/iroku_yohen_2.4_copy.png?v=1783641065","url":"https:\/\/artisanaljapan.com\/products\/banko-yaki-diamond-cut-yohen-kyusu-teapot-mori-iroku-iv-320ml","provider":"Artisanal Japan","version":"1.0","type":"link"}