KOSHUN Kiln Kyo Kiyomizu Ware Cup Kohaku Cup and Saucer - Autumn Rust / 洸春窯 古箔珈琲碗

Founded in 1943, Koshun Kiln is a three-generation ceramics workshop located in Higashiyama, one of Kyoto’s long-established pottery districts. It belongs to the diverse tradition of Kyo and Kiyomizu ware, which is defined not by one particular clay or technique, but by Kyoto’s long history of bringing together materials, knowledge and craftsmanship from different regions.

Across three generations, the kiln has evolved from traditional indigo-blue Sometsuke porcelain to the vivid colours of Kochi glazing and the raised decorative lines of Itchin. Both the second and third generations have been recognised as Traditional Craftsmen of Kyo and Kiyomizu ware, a prestigious distinction reserved for highly experienced and accomplished artisans.

Today, the kiln is led by third-generation artisan Shinichi Takashima / 高島慎一. With a master’s degree in engineering, formal ceramic training and numerous awards to his name, Takashima brings both technical knowledge and an experimental spirit to the traditions he inherited. He believes that each generation should create work of its own rather than simply repeat what came before. While continuing the Kochi / 交趾 and Itchin / いっちん techniques established by his father, he actively explores new colours, overseas glazes, unfamiliar materials and collaborations with other fields of craft. His scientific background shapes the way he studies materials, firing temperatures and the reactions that occur inside the kiln, sometimes continuing an experiment for many years before arriving at the result he has imagined.

Despite this technical achievement and constant experimentation, Takashima does not create objects solely to be displayed. For him, ceramics are most meaningful when they become part of someone’s daily life. The form, weight, texture and ease of use are considered just as carefully as the decoration, and even the raised lines of Itchin are softened so that they feel gentle beneath the fingers.

Koshun Kiln remains a small workshop of only four or five craftspeople, with each piece passing through many careful stages by hand and receiving Takashima’s final inspection. Its work brings together inherited craftsmanship and contemporary exploration, creating distinctive pieces that are made not only to be admired, but to be held, used and gradually welcomed into everyday life.

Kohaku / 古箔

The Kohaku collection is inspired by Hikibaku / 引箔, a traditional material used in Kyoto’s Nishijin weaving. Gold or silver leaf is applied to washi paper, often coloured or altered to create different tones, before being cut into extremely fine strips and woven into the fabric.

Koshun Kiln uses mainly silver and iridescent foil offcuts from this process, arranging each fragment individually across the porcelain. Some foils are coloured, while others are transformed through Yakibaku / 焼箔, a heat-treatment process that creates rich red, purple and aged metallic tones.

A fine protective coating is sprayed over the finished surface, preserving the layered texture while giving the vessel its subdued, matte and distinctly wabi-sabi character. As every piece of foil is shaped and placed by hand, no two vessels share exactly the same composition.

As each piece is handmade, slight variations in size, glaze, colour and texture may occur, reflecting the unique character of artisan-made ceramics.

◾ Handmade in Kyoto, Japan

◾ Materials: Porcelain and Gold Leaf

◾ Not microwave safe

◾ Hand washing recommended

◾ Size:

Cup: Diameter 8.3 cm (10.5 cm including handle) x Height 6.8 cm, Capacity 228 ml (Max 285 ml)

Saucer: Diameter 14.5 cm x Height 2 cm

◾ Presented in a custom-made wooden gift box, initialled by the artisan.