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 "Rokusan," he was a member of the Japan Crafts Association Chugoku Branch, the Bizen Ware Tomoyukai, and the Traditional Craftsmen's Association. His father was close to 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 refined his techniques. It is said that when Kitaoji Rosanjin visited Kaneshige Toyo's house, he learned his techniques from him along with Fujiwara Kei and Yamamoto Toshu, and was influenced by him. In 1961, he built the Rokuro Kiln and became independent. In 1986, he was certified as a traditional craftsman. He preferred to make sake vessels such as tokkuri on 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 fans. It is said that the great writer Ibuse Masuji groped around Rokuro's sake bottles in bed before he died. He also had connections with the poet Sugisame Taro and the poet Ando Jiro, and wrote an introduction for Rokuro's resume. In particular, Ando Jiro is said to have visited every time the pottery was fired from the kiln, and wanted only pottery with kiln marks, which caused Rokuro a lot of trouble. He is also known by nicknames such as "God of Sake Ware" and "Rokuro the Tokkuri."