This unique Sakazuki flat sake cup with a stand displays the image of the famous illustrated scroll named "Choju Giga" which is a caricature picture scroll depicting anthropomorphic animals and their playfulness, dating from the mid-12th to mid-13th centuries. You can enjoy the company of playful rabbits, frogs and a fox entertaining your everyday drinking experience.

Featuring the distinctive “nami-yu” glaze, which is made from the ashes of the Kyoto forest, it has a natural base color in yellowish cream-white.

Founded in 1868 as a Kiyomizu ware wholesaler in Kyoto, Tosen Kiln uses its own blend of soil and glaze, preserving the methods and quality of the works of Nonomura Ninsei, the renowned potter who is said to have established the art of Kyo ware in the 17th century.

The paintwork is done by individual Japanese-style painters, pursuing their own originality and depth beyond the expectations for a mere decoration. The design is from the picture scrolls are designated as a Japanese national treasure in Kozan-ji Temple in Kyoto. Please enjoy these humorous and playful works intricately depicted through Tosen Kiln’s painting techniques. 

The top of the cup is hand brushed in gold, and within the golden ring we see a frog holding a drum. Although the cup is very small and the surface without paintings, the little frog suffices to add a sense of humor to the drinking experience for sake. The stand for the cup humorously depicts a rabbit side ways, perhaps squashed by the cup on top. The little animals serve as accompaniments to lighten up the drink. 

The technique of painting directly on a bisqued plate requires unique skill as paint is quickly absorbed by the clay surface. The art of underglaze painting uses more restraint colors of blue and brown, giving the piece a more subdued impression. As the paint is absorbed under the glaze, the result is the more lucid and transparent finish of the delicate brush work, as opposed to the more solid pigments of overglaze painting. The finishing touch to the sake cup is a lining of gold. Due to its delicate characteristics, gold can only be applied as an overglaze to truly display its beautiful color. 

Tosen Kiln introduces the timeless techniques of Kiyomizu ware through their delicate hand painting and modeling styles. The intricate paintings on the stoneware breathe warmth and beauty into the pieces and tell stories of the diligence needed to create them.

PRODUCT DETAIL

• Dimension: [Cup] D6.9cm(2.7in) x 3.3cm(1.3in),
  [Stand] D6.9cm(2.7in) x H3.4cm(1.3in)
• Capacity: 30ml(1.0oz)
• Material: Stoneware
• Origin: Made in Japan - Kiyomizu Ware
• Brand: Tosen Kiln