Auspicious Pattern Guinomi Sake Cup

This guinomi sake cup features intricate designs of blue-and-white sometsuke, with added colored details hand-painted by master craftsman Yamamoto Choza. A botanical motif, elegantly framed by traditional patterns, graces the outer surface, while a joyfully chirping bird finds repose at the bottom. The intricacies of each design beckon for a second glance.

The porcelain base is formed using the katauchi technique, where a smooth layer of clay is placed over a mold and carefully shaped by hand with precise force to replicate the form. Through expert craftsmanship, the final product attains a thin and uniformly consistent appearance.

Yamamoto Choza has refined the exquisite art of sometsuke, as reflected in the bowl’s graceful pattern of flowing curves and fine detail. Each stroke is applied with meticulous care, emphasizing the bowl’s distinctive Kutani character. By skillfully using brushes of varying thicknesses, Yamamoto creates subtle gradations of blue that heighten the work’s dimensionality. He deftly attains a masterful equilibrium of white space within his finely woven blue lines.

Designed with a quiet elegance, this cup allows the sake to take center stage, highlighting its detailed character without distraction. The exquisite balance of its craftsmanship ensures that each sip is celebrated, inviting you to appreciate the delicate nuances of Japanese tradition.

Yamamoto Choza

Yamamoto Choza is renowned for his innovative synthesis of traditional elegance and modern creativity in blue Kutani ware pottery, also known as ai-Kutani. With years of disciplined study and refined technique, he transforms classical forms through delicate brushwork and a controlled tension that unfolds a narrative of timeless artistry.

Inspired by antique aesthetics, his ceramic art is imbued with auspicious motifs and profound philosophical resonance, creating porcelain pieces that honor heritage while engaging a contemporary audience.

Kutani ware is a pottery produced in the Kaga region of Ishikawa Prefecture and it has a history of over 350 years. It is characterized by the heavy brilliance of the five colors of green, yellow, red, purple, and navy blue that are applied to the bold and daring lines. Its long history has evolved through the tireless efforts and enthusiasm of people who have sought innovation while maintaining tradition.

The beauty of the various styles and methods of painting is known as "Japan Kutani" and is highly regarded around the world.