Thank you for viewing. This is a Kasama-yaki pottery vase. I purchased it at the Toen-sai pottery festival in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Over 200 shops participate in the Toen-sai festival every year. There are various shops, from large company-run workshops to small workshops with only one or two people. This vase was made in a workshop by a potter who handles all the processes alone. When creating works, they sometimes use a wood-fired kiln for yakishime (unglazed high-fired pottery). This vase is said to have been fired in a wood-fired kiln. (Yakisime, formally known as shime-yaki, refers to pottery that is unglazed and fired at high temperatures.) Ash from the firewood has fallen on the upper part of the vase and become a glaze during firing. The lower part of the vase has uneven firing, creating a kiln-changed effect. It is large and has a sense of weight. It is a favorite piece, but due to my advanced age, I have started decluttering, so it is with a heavy heart that I am offering it for sale this time. As this is a unique item, please consider purchasing it if you understand the photos and description. Size: Height: 22.5 cm Maximum width: 29.5 cm Mouth diameter: 7.5 cm Foot diameter: 12.0 cm Weight: 4.9 kg *All measurements are approximate. "Kasama-yaki" * Kasama-yaki is pottery produced in and around Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. * Production began in the An'ei era of the mid-Edo period. * It is the oldest pottery in the Kanto region.