Mogake kyusu teapot

This unique squash-shaped kyusu teapot is made by Japanese pottery master Kato Kazufusa (Shukei). This particular design requires a lot of years of mastery of ceramics. The pattern on this teaware is made using Mogake technique. It dates back to the 19th century. For Mogake technique, a special Amamo seaweed is used to cover a pottery piece before putting it into the kiln. During the firing, salt from the seaweed reacts with the clay and creates a unique, brown-colored pattern. This is a very rare technique that is found only in the Tokoname region, Japan. Tokoname is one of the six oldest ceramic workshops in Japan where high-quality ceramic ware from the locally found clay has been produced since the 12th century.