Kimura Tōhō (*1928)

Elegant Bizen tea caddy (chaire) of the round-shaped bunrin type, made by Kimura Tōhō (*1928). Rice straw cords, that were soaked in salt water and bound around the unglazed body, leaving red traces on the surface during the firing process. This ancient technique, already known from Momoyama-period pieces (1573-1603) is called hidasuki ("red ribbon" or "fire cords").

Kimura Tōhō was born 1928 in Bizen. As oldest son of Kimura Seiji, he took over the old, traditional family workshop in 1967. His kiln is named Tōshō-en (lit. 'True Clay Garden'), which was established by his father in 1913. His father Seiji, was born into one of the most important potter families in Japan, since the Kimura family was honored by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) himself as one of the great six potter families in Bizen. Seiji was the second son of Kimura XXII (Kimura Chōjūrō) and therefore not the official heir of the old family business, so he established his own kiln. Kimura Tōhō real name is Kimura Tsuyoshi (lit. the 'Strong') and that is why he often sign his pieces with the character 'chikara 力' - meaning  'strength.' As former vice chairman of the Bizen pottery association Tōyū-kai, as well as former vice president of the Okayama Prefecture Bizen Pottery Museum, he has been largely involved into the official Bizen scene in Japan.

The chaire is signed underneath Tōhō 陶峰. Comes with fitted and signed wooden box and silk pouch (shifuku). Box inscribed: Bizen hidasuki yaki bunrin chaire, made by Tōhō 備前火襷焼文琳茶入陶峰造. Sealed Kimura 木村.

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