Contrasting with the bold, stout presence characteristic of Bizen ware, is the lightness of hitazuki firing, and what I believe to be ideal for having tea in spring or summer.

The pale brown skin, and the dark reddish-brown pattern. The pottery was originally wrapped in straw when firing, to prevent them from sticking together. The pattern is originally the result of the chemical reaction between the iron in the soil and the components in the straw. The beautiful patterns from hitazuki firing were then adopted intentionally, becoming a single technique for creating bizen ware.

Many good pieces are marked with a pottery mark called “toshirushi”. These toshijiru act as potter signatures and, particularly with bizen ware, are an aspect of enjoying the pieces. One of the tojirushi of Human National Treasure Atsushi Isesaki is this “V” mark.
A young writer from Bizen wrote, “Friendly, and truly respected and adored. That was Master Isezaki.” Since reading that, I’ve grown to appreciate his work more.