About Banko-yaki Kyusu Teapot - Mori Iroku IV - Yohen Finish, Diamond-Cut - 320ml

The yohen is the whole story here. Yohen, literally "kiln change," is a natural color shift that only happens inside the firing, when flame, heat, and atmosphere react with the iron-rich clay and its minerals. The potter can guide it, but never command it, which is exactly why it is so prized: every yohen pot comes out one of a kind, and no two surface patterns can ever be repeated. On this kyusu it runs the body from deep red to a warm bronze with a dark smoky mix, a finish written entirely by the fire.
That rare finish sits on top of Mori Iroku's signature diamond cut. Where he normally fires this form in his everyday clay, this one is elevated into yohen, a harder-to-find, collector-grade version of the very technique that made the Iroku name. The diamond cut is carved, each facet is cut into the clay one at a time with a blade, a single kyusu taking up to half a day to decorate, and here the faceting wraps the body, lid, spout, and side handle so every plane catches the kiln color differently as the pot turns in the light.

Beneath the artistry it is a serious tea tool. Thrown from iron-rich purple shidei clay and fitted with a fine built-in strainer, the kyusu pours cleanly from its tapered spout, while the side handle settles naturally into the hand for smooth, one-handed pouring. Shidei clay is prized for gently rounding off the astringency of green tea, coaxing a sweeter, fuller cup from sencha and gyokuro.

A genuine yohen piece from a recognized master is the kind of teapot made to be poured from daily and admired between cups, a centerpiece for the tea table and a showcase.

About the artist. This 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.

Recognition:

Fourth-generation head of Iroku Toen, a Banko kiln founded in 1880 in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture
Recognized as a Traditional Craftsman, certified by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Trained under his father, Mori Iroku III (1936-2014), inheriting the family's hand-cut diamond and Matsukawa pine-bark techniques
Continues a Banko kyusu lineage of more than 140 years

Details

Artist: Mori Iroku IV (fourth generation)
Origin: Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Ware: Banko-yaki (iron-rich shidei clay, rare yohen kiln finish)
Finish: Yohen ("kiln change"), a natural, one-of-a-kind color shift fired into the clay; red, bronze, and gunmetal tones, never repeated
Technique: Hand-cut diamond (daiya) faceting, the Iroku signature
Capacity: approx. 320ml