Sandblasted Volcano (Kikuchi) (C) (084) Tobacco Pipe

Since Asami Kikuchi and Yoshirou Ohi stepped into their very prestigious roles at Tsuge Ikebana, we've virtually stopped seeing Volcanoes, with the last seen in mid 2014, and before that in 2010. It seems Asami-san, after a period of exploring her own aesthetic, has found her way back to the classic shape, furnishing us here with a round-based rendition. Compact in length, the the high transition provides sturdiness, while the upward reaching shank and stem lend some serious grace and flow. Despite the overall stoutness of the shape, the fine sandblast and line created above the base lend a much needed crispness.

- Adam O'Neill