Sōma-yaki, also known as Ōborisōma, is a form of Japanese pottery from the Fukushima Prefecture. It is characterised by cracked glaze which is caused by different shrinkage factors between the clay and the glaze. The cracks form in the kiln, and it is said to sound as though the kiln is singing. The cracks darken over time with use.

Sōma-Yaki has its roots in the 17th century, when the industry grew under the protection of the local Sōma clan. By the middle of the 19th century there were more than 100 kilns in operation, making it the largest production centre in the whole of the Tohoku region. In the Edo period, the Sōma Clan’s emblem was the “Sacred Horse”. Therefore, a depiction of a horse, often in gold, is painted on Sōma ware, as a sign of good luck.

By 2011, there were 24 workshops in Sōma, but the tsunami and nuclear disaster that followed in March 2011 forced the artisans to leave their workshops. Half of them relocated to surrounding areas to rebuild their kilns, while the other half stopped making pottery completely. Since the traditional source of the clay was within the Fukushima exclusion zone, similar materials had to be invented and imported in order to continue producing the distinctive look.

Asemi Co. Sōma Cups are made by Kyoko Kondo of Kyōgetsu Kiln, in the Fukushima Prefecture.

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Name: Asemi Co. Soma Cup
Brand: Asemi Co.
SKU: 40481
Availability: InStock

Asemi Co.

Asemi Co. is the brainchild of designers and long time friends Yuki Ishiguro & Lars Amhof. The name Asemi Co. originates from “asemic writing”, a wordless open semantic form of writing – it is up to the reader to interpret the writing, no matter which language he speaks or where he is from.

“Asemic art, after all, represents a kind of language that’s universal and lodged deep within our unconscious minds.“
– Satu Kaikkonen

Enraptured by traditional craftsmanship, Lars & Yuki got together in 2015 to start the intercontinental endeavour that is now Asemi Co. Their mission is to preserve local traditional craftsmanship by combining various crafts with contemporary design and presenting it to a worldwide audience. The Asemi Co. cup leans on traditional shapes but with contemporary character. Each style has a unique look depending on the type of pottery it was created from.

“With our creations we want to transport that philosophy over to design, creating products that are universally understood regardless of background or nationality and at the same time keep precious crafts alive in the fast paced world.”
– Asemi Co.

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