Bizen ware is one of the most distinctive of unglazed Japanese ceramics and clearly embodies the aesthetic of austere rusticity that came to be appreciated from the late fifteenth century onward. Initially, utilitarian vessels were deemed appropriate for use in the tea ceremony. By the late sixteenth century, however, pieces were being made specifically for the tea context. This mizusashi demonstrates the dark exterior exposed to the high heat of the kiln and the fire-cord marks (hidasuki) achieved by wrapping the vessel in rice straw. The high alkaline content of the rice straw reacted with the iron content in the ceramic body to create the scorched fire-cord marks.