Shibuya Eiichi Mug 240 ml

Glazed stoneware

This Hagi cup by Eiichi Shibuya combines the characteristic local clay with a finely graduated white glaze. The lower section reveals the natural, warm brown hue of the clay body, with its slight inclusions and lines left visible to emphasize the handcrafted process. Above this lies an opaque, softly flowing glaze with characteristic iron-rich speckles, adding further texture to the piece.

The slightly irregular silhouette reflects Shibuya's contemporary interpretation of the Hagi tradition: hand-formed, functional, and designed for use, without decorative excess. The cup has a pleasant tactile quality and is ideal for tea or other hot beverages.

Working in Hagi (Yamaguchi Prefecture), ceramicist Eiichi Shibuya was introduced to the world of clay at an early age by his grandfather, who worked as a potter. From the local Oido clay, he creates works that draw on tradition while consciously breaking free from its established forms. His distinctive style reveals a quiet tension between origin and departure: inspired by the dignity of aged cultural objects, he creates vessels that imbue modern objects with a sense of time. This approach is particularly evident in the Chinoutsuwa series, in which he translates the idea of a "bygone sense of time" into contemporary forms.

In his work, he seeks to create quiet moments of the unexpected in everyday life and to understand ceramic art as an experience.

His work has received numerous awards, including the Chōza Prize (2011), the Grand Prize at the Hagi Taishō Exhibition "Contemporary Ceramics" (2016), the top prize at the 5th Tōbi Exhibition (2018), and several accolades from the Yamaguchi art scene. Since 2013, he has also been a regular member of the Japan Society of Traditional Crafts and has been featured in numerous national exhibitions, most recently "Traditional Crafts – Strength for the Future" (2022).