Medaka Rice Fish Chrysanthemum Sauce Plate

Enjoy the elegant design of chrysanthemum with the natural blue-green luster of celadon in this stylish sauce plate from Kosen Kiln. 

With its translucent glaze on the blue-jade hue of celadon, a tranquil atmosphere emanates from its glossy exterior, like the calm surface of a glistening pond. Adorning the surface of the sauce plate are Medaka rice fishes which are depicted with such realism that they look as though they are actually suspended in water. Each fish is hand painted using brushes of differing thicknesses to draw detailed designs. Three small dots give movement to the fish and add a delicate touch to the design. One can almost feel the fish gracefully swimming in a pond with their slightly curved tails.

This sauce plate is the perfect size for plating various types of sauces and condiments. Serve small sweets alongside a cup of Japanese tea or coffee. Or use it to present small appetizers to start a meal or for side dishes in a Japanese-style meal.

The Medaka Rice Fish series also includes plates and bowls that can be coordinated with this sauce plate to give your tabletop a unified theme. This sauce plate is set in a durable paper box labeled with the name of the kiln on Washi paper making it a perfect item as a gift. The current third generation, Takahiko Kawasoe, has a vision of "establishing Nabeshima culture" and began research and development of celadon with a different perspective from that of his grandfather. The craftsmen at Kosen Kiln are working daily with the hope that the future of Nabeshima ware will be enriched 100 years from now. 

Nabeshima Kosen Kiln

Kosen Kiln specializes in products that use a variety of the three techniques that are characteristic of Nabeshima ware: Iro-Nabeshima (overglaze enamel), Ai-Nabeshima (sometsuke), and Nabeshima Seiji (celadon). The founder, Kawasoe Tameo, dedicated himself to studying celadon porcelain, driven by a strong desire to make it accessible to many.

The current third generation, Kawasoe Takahiko, aims to "establish Nabeshima culture" and approaches celadon research from a perspective different from his grandfather's. The kiln diligently works every day, hoping that the future of Nabeshima ware will be enriched 100 years from now.

Nabeshima ware is a type of porcelain crafted at the meticulously managed Nabeshima domain kiln. This kiln, operating as a government-run project under the direct supervision of the Saga Nabeshima domain, flourished during the early Edo period (1603–1868 CE).

For approximately 250 years, Nabeshima ware was reserved solely for exclusively for shoguns and feudal lords, with the kilns producing exquisite pieces in styles like Iro-Nabeshima (overglaze enamel), Ai-Nabeshima (sometsuke), and Nabeshima Seiji (celadon). After the feudal system ended, the kilns were privatized, welcoming new potters and giving rise to what is now known as Imari Nabeshima ware.