1631-1712
male
ohi pottery
Said to have originally descended from the Haji family, who lived in Haji, Kawachi Province, he left for Kyoto at around 1656 and learned the method of producing Raku ware from Ichinyu of the Raku family. It is said that he took up residence near Nijo Kawaramachi, and for that reason it is conjectured that he had some sort of connection to the Oshikoji ware that the nearby Raku branch kiln fired at the time.
In 1666, he served the Maeda family of the Kaga Domain, on the recommendation of Senso Soshitsu, who worked as a tea master for the Kaga Domain and was the fourth generation of the Urasenke tradition. Because he was granted a dwelling in Ohi Village on the eastern suburbs of Kanazawa by Kaga feudal lord, Maeda Tsunanori, he took on the surname Ohi straight from the village’s name.
Few works of the first generation Ohi exist in present day, but by looking at the tea bowl works that do, one can see a lack in elegance and a bland crafting field in the remaining works. However, there are disputes on whether this distinction was because of a lack of ingenuity in the initial techniques that made the pottery, or because the works were of Senso’s preferences. But, as a certain amount of fine skill can be seen when looking at the sculpted ornaments, it is surmised that a large part of it is due to Senso’s preferences.
Additionally, Ohi ware has a basis of firing ameyu glaze, more so than in the time of the first generation, but the reason for this is said to be because of the Maeda family who, in consideration of the relationship between the Raku family and the Senke tradition in Kyoto, held back the black and red Raku ware as much as possible and accepted different crafting styles (there are only a few, but some black Raku tea bowls have been left behind.)
Also, while it is said that there are a few rare tea bowls inscribed with a signature, most of them do not have one.
