Seikou Kiln Ginsai Kutani Kagami Mochi

Get your home ready for a new year with this striking ceramic kagami mochi, or “mirror rice cake.” Placed on a glossy red platform are three smooth, rounded shapes, finished with an ornate red and gold decorative knot called kaga-mizuhiki. Remove the orange piece on top to reveal a hollow interior, perfect for storing sweets, or keep it empty to fill with your wishes for 2024. Crafted with the Kutani ware technique, this particular item utilizes ginsai, in which silver leaf is added to the ceramic material before glazing. It adds a beautiful, unique texture to the three rounded tiers that will shimmer well past January.

Kagami mochi is a common sight in Japanese households as December 31st approaches. A good luck charm during the New Year holidays, it is placed at the family’s Shinto altar, in the kitchen, living room, or near the front door. It is said that the shape of the stacked mochi resembles a bronze mirror, which was a highly valuable household item in ancient Japan, hence the name kagami, or mirror.

Traditionally, kagami mochi is made with two rice cakes (or mochi) symbolizing the past year and the new year, and topped with a citrus fruit called daidai, which means “generations” and represents the passage of time. This Kutani ware version, being made of porcelain, can be set out year after year, serving as a beautiful symbol for the promise of a fresh new year.

The presence of kagami mochi is an offering to a Shinto god called Toshigami, who visits homes at the start of the new year. Display it in your home on or before December 28th for the most respectful offering to Toshigami, ensuring you’ll receive good luck in 2024. Place it on one of our decorative stands for a centerpiece you and your holiday guests will cherish, or keep it in its auspicious red box to gift it and send luck to a loved one.

This item is a beautiful representation of the elegant Kutani items that hail from Ishikawa Prefecture. Kutani ware, the technique that gives this piece its striking texture and shine originated in the area, and the finishing touch — the kaga-mizuhiki — is called Kaga after the ancient name for Ishikawa Prefecture. Give it a prominent place in your home to set the tone for next year with traditional Japanese flair.

PRODUCT DETAIL

• Dimension: D 11.5 cm (4.5 in) × H 12.5 cm (4.9 in) / Mat: L 17.2 cm (6.8 in) x W 17.2 cm (6.8 in)
• Material: Porcelain, wood
  
• Origin: Made in Japan - Kutani Ware, Yamanaka lacquerware
• Brand: Seikou Kiln