Hidasuki
Hidasuki (Japanese: 緋襷) is a decorative firing technique used in Japanese ceramics in which red or orange flame-like marks appear on the surface of pottery during firing. The effect is traditionally associated with Bizen ware.
The characteristic patterns are created by wrapping pieces of pottery with rice straw before firing them in a kiln. During the firing process the straw burns and releases minerals that react with the clay surface. This chemical reaction produces distinctive reddish markings that resemble stripes, bands, or crossed lines.
Hidasuki effects are typically produced during high-temperature Wood firing in traditional kilns such as those used for Bizen ware. The exact appearance of the markings depends on factors such as the placement of the straw, the kiln atmosphere, and the firing temperature.
The technique has been used for centuries in Bizen pottery and is valued for the natural and spontaneous patterns it produces. Because the results vary with each firing, no two pieces display exactly the same markings.
Hidasuki decoration is most commonly seen on tea ceremony utensils, sake vessels, bowls, and other functional ceramic forms produced in the Bizen tradition.
