HONIWA RAKUNYU SHIGARAKI HANAIRE

10" tall

Honiwa Rakunyu II, though not a native of Shigaraki moved there and studied with Honiwa Rakunyu I, succeeded to the name in 1962 and set up a studio and a noborigama, later building his first anagama in 1971 which he named, Kochu-gama. Though Rakunyu II made a wide array of Shigaraki ware he specialized in chadogu tea wares and it shows in his mizusashi, hanaire and chaire in particular. According to a number of Japanese books, Honiwa Rakunyu excelled at making chadogu and many of his pots have attestations by famous chajin and Buddhist priest, his finest tea wares bare his incised signature as opposed to his impressed seal stamp.