Go Bowl – Kurogaki, Honinbo Shape, 4-sun Opening, by Nishikawa Takashi

About the Wood

Kurogaki — black persimmon — is a wood found only in ancient persimmon trees, centuries old. Within a very small number of these trees, a dark pattern forms deep inside the wood. It is said to appear in perhaps one tree out of tens of thousands, and there is no way to know from the outside. The pattern reveals itself only after the wood is cut. The contrast of black against white, the flowing marks that resemble brushwork — these are formed by the tree itself, over time, without intention. No two pieces are alike.

About the Craftsmanship

This piece is the work of Takashi Nishikawa, a designated traditional craftsman of Miyazaki Prefecture. Nishikawa-san has worked with wood on the lathe for more than fifty years, beginning the craft at age twenty. The shaping is done in a single pass — there is no reworking once the cut is made. Thickness is checked by hand as the work progresses. The surface is finished with carnauba wax. Each step is guided by the material itself, not by a fixed formula. The completed piece carries Nishikawa-san’s craftsman seal and a certificate of authenticity: Traditional Craftsman of Miyazaki Prefecture, No. 115.

Choosing This Piece

Kurogaki bowls cannot be ordered or sourced on request. Whether a tree carries the pattern inside is unknown until it is cut. This piece exists because that particular tree did. There will not be another one exactly like it.

Each Go bowl is one of a kind.
Please contact us before placing an order to confirm availability.
For orders shipped outside Japan, customs duties or local taxes may be charged upon delivery depending on the destination country.