Bizen-yaki

Unglazed stoneware from Okayama fired for over two weeks in wood-burning kilns.

Bizen-yaki is one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns, produced in Bizen (present-day Okayama Prefecture) for over a thousand years. It is entirely unglazed, relying on the natural effects of wood-ash, fire marking, and kiln placement during long firings of up to two weeks. Each piece emerges with unique surface patterns such as hidasuki (straw marks) and goma (sesame-seed ash spots), making every work one of a kind.