This chawan is an evocative example of Mikamo-yaki (みかも焼), a regional pottery tradition rooted in the historic land of 下野国（Shimotsuke Province）, an area known since ancient times for producing earthenware using the distinctive local clays of the region surrounding the celebrated 三毳山（Mt. Mikamo）.
Crafted by 川原井文次郎（Kawarai Bunjiro）, the piece embodies the earthy, unrefined beauty that characterizes folk kilns of eastern Japan. Fired with natural ash deposits and built from iron-rich local soil, the bowl displays a rugged, stone-like surface with scattered natural glaze spots and subtle white inclusions that emerge organically in the firing. These “景色 keshiki”—the natural landscapes created in the kiln—give the bowl a timeless, almost archaeological presence.
Bunjiro is one of the few potters continuing the quiet lineage of Mikamo-yaki, a kiln tradition rooted in the earth of 下野国 and referenced in classical poetry. His work reflects a philosophy of honoring the land’s clay, the irregularities of hand-formed vessels, and the cultural heritage of his region. This chawan stands as both an object of use and a piece of living history—an enduring expression of rural Japanese ceramic artistry.
