Wood-firing is a choice today with all the other possibilities of electric, gas, oil kilns etc. Wood-firing takes a lot of labor for nights and days. People who get into this will do this for the rest of their lives, because the pieces have an extraordinary beauty.Wood firing is infinitely subtle and endlessly varying.

Masakazu Kusakabe-san constructed this Sasukenei Smokeles Kiln, which almost fires effortlessly and quickly and achieving dramatic wood-fire effects in 24-36 hours instead of the traditional anagama kiln 5-10 days firings. Also, the kiln produces virtually no smoke during firing.

So, we started with loading the Sasukenei kiln, because after stoking, it also needs to cool down and the workshop was for 4 days.

Pots ready to be put in the kiln.

Draw baskets are taken out during the firing and put before the front stoke hole. They allow you to evaluate ash buildup over the entire period of the firing.

Wadding is put between every piece and furniture to prevent sticking. Trivets are made fire clay and put in the hottest spots.

Putting the pots on trivets.

All the pots are in the kiln.

Closing of the front chamber.

Starting the fire in the firebox.

Blessing of the kiln with sake.

Jenny stoking the bourry box.

The hot girls team stoking the kiln: Swanica, Jenny, Jenny, Pat.

Stoking the stoke hole of the front chamber.
No smoke, but a nice glow.

A little bowl pulled out to look at the result.

Kusakabe-san and Furuki-san checking out the little check pots.

The firing is done when we have our shift from 4am – 8am and it had a total of 36 hours of firing to reach around 1350 Celsius and sustaining the temperature around 1250 for a couple of hours.

And Kusakabe-san is ready to celebrate with an ice cream as breakfast!!!

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