Karako Tokkuri Sake Carafe

This karako motif tokkuri sake carafe is an exquisite piece of traditional sometsuke blue and white porcelain to serve sake. This tokkuri is adorned with hand-drawn and painted karako - delightful Chinese-style paintings of children, displaying graceful shades of blue. These playful images of children, rendered with fine lines, are centered on the tokkuri, offering gentle soft shades and heartwarming visuals. The tokkuri's form, with a slightly curved neck, adds sophistication and ease of handling, making it an elegant yet functional sake vessel.

Lightweight and durable, this tokkuri is ideal for enhancing the sake-drinking experience, be it in daily use or on special occasions. The shades of blue in the karako motifs exhibit an exquisite gradation, a testament to the skill of the craftspeople at Kakusho Kiln. They apply the cobalt pigment using brushes that allow the dye to flow naturally onto the porcelain, creating a gentle and soft shade of blue as it "sinks" into the clay. The outlines of the karako are drawn swiftly and with precision, using soft and fine brushes to capture the contours and playful expressions of the children.

Mikawachi, located in the current Nagasaki Prefecture, is known for its historical sometsuke porcelain ware, with kilns like Kakusho Kiln historically serving the Hirado Domain. Compared to Arita ware, Mikawachi ware's sometsuke features a softer, gentler shade of blue, celebrated for its intricately detailed paintings.

At Kakusho Kiln, the craftspeople are skilled in the use of these gentle shades of blue, characteristic of Mikawachi ware, enhancing the beauty of the white porcelain with the charming and playful karako motifs. This karako tokkuri is a proud display of their expertise, balancing elegant beauty and gracefulness in each piece.

PRODUCT DETAIL

• Quantity: 1
• Dimension: W 7 cm (2.8 in) x H 13 cm (5.1 in)
• Capacity: 180 ml (6.1 oz)
• Material: Porcelain 
• Origin: Made in Japan - Mikawachi Ware
• Brand: Kakusho Kiln

Kakusho Kiln

A historically presitigious kiln which used to serve the lordship of Hirado Domain in the Edo Period (1600 CE-1867 CE). Kakusho Kiln has passed on the traditional art of Blue and White for more than 300 years.

The light-weight and elegant porcelain smooth to the touch. The soft and gentle shade of blue kind to the eye. 

Mikawachi ware, also known as Hirado ware, is a pottery made in Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. Known for its translucent white porcelain, it was highly popular in Europe during the trend toward Japanese crafts in the West in the 20th century. Mikawachi ware is remarkable for its delicate modeling techniques that push the limits of porcelain, such as openwork and relief carving, and for its beautiful painting that looks like a single piece of art.