25852 Rokuro Nakamura Bizen Sake Bottle

Height 12.6cm
Diameter 8.8cm

Nakamura Rokuro (February 4, 1914 - April 11, 2004) was a ceramic artist born in Ibe, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture. Nicknamed "Roku-san," he was a member of the Chugoku Branch of the Japan Crafts Association, the Bizen Ware Tomoyukai, and the Traditional Craftsmen's Association. His father was close friends with artists such as Kaneshige Toyo, and influenced him to become a ceramic artist. He worked for a company until the end of the war, but in 1945 he studied under Kaneshige Toyo and honed his skills. It is said that when Kitaoji Rosanjin visited Kaneshige Toyo's home, he learned his techniques from him, along with Fujiwara Kei and Yamamoto Toshu, and was influenced by them. In 1961, he established the Rokuro Kiln and went independent. In 1986, he was certified as a traditional craftsman. He preferred to make sake bottles and other sake vessels using the potter's wheel. He also made bubble bottles, teapots, and tea bowls using the tatara. His style is simple and wild. The deep scarlet color that appears in the kiln changes on the sticky earthenware of the Kannon clay is called "the scarlet of the Nakamura family" and has many admirers. It is said that the great writer Ibuse Masuji groped Rokuro's sake bottle in bed before he died. He also had connections with the poet Sugisame Taro and the poet Ando Tsuguo, and wrote an introduction for Rokuro's resume. It is said that Ando Tsuguo in particular would visit every time the kiln was fired, and wanted only pots with kiln marks, which caused Rokuro a lot of trouble. He is also known by nicknames such as "the god of sake vessels" and "Rokuro the sake bottle."

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