Aochibu 青粒
青 blue-green · 粒 grain (raised dot)
Aochibu is a Kutani decorative technique, popularized in the Taisho era, in which tiny raised green dots are placed evenly across the surface using a tool called icchin, creating a sharkskin-like texture. The uniformity of size, color, and spacing demands exacting skill; variants in white (shirochibu) and gold (kinchibu) also exist.
The blue dots are delicately dotted onto the porcelain surface using the icchin tool. When combined with techniques like morikin, the dotted patterns create swirling designs that form both tactile and visual texture on the finished piece.