It is a rare type of porcelain believed to have been made during the Chinese Song Dynasty, specifically classified as a tenmoku tea bowl.
"Yohen" means "changing colors depending on the angle of the light," and the surface of this tea bowl appears in various colors depending on how the light hits it.
This changing beauty is particularly highly valued in the culture of tea ceremonies.
Yohen Tenmoku refers to a special type of pottery known for its iridescent beetle-wing-like colors. Despite attempts by potters around the world to replicate its beauty, no one has succeeded in recreating it over the past 850 years.
World's First Achievement
However, Akimasa Yamane, a Bizen ware potter, achieved to create Yohen Tenmoku without using any glaze—a remarkable feat in the history of pottery.
Evaluation by the Imperial Family
The Shijo Tsukasa Family, which is Japan Imperial Family, was quick to recognize this technique. They praised it as a national treasure of Japan, encouraging further refinement. Akimasa Yamane was honored with the title " Shijo Chunagon Yamakage's direct lineage, Shijo Tsukasa Family, Imperial Property, Bizen Firefall Kiln."
The Uniqueness of the Works
Due to the unique technique used by Akimasa Yamane, failures are extremely common, making his works highly valuable and rare. It is believed that this technique will not be seen elsewhere in the world for the next 100 years.
