Sake cup, Horse, Takahashi Dohachi

Width: 6.1cm Height: 4.5cm

This piece, with its milky white glaze and the abstracted horse motif neatly circling it, is one of the "Twelve Zodiac Sake Cups" series by Takahashi Michihachi IX.
The rhythmic lines quietly emerge from the white glaze that softly catches the light, evoking a sense of calm yet vitality. Below, we will introduce the charm of this piece in detail from five perspectives.

1. Beauty of form - precise balance and stability

The shape is a slightly deep bowl, with a richly rounded body and a natural taper towards the bottom.
The base is slightly elevated, providing stability to support the entire vessel while also making it feel light and easy to pick up.
The smoothly trimmed rim fits comfortably on the lips, perfectly combining practicality as a sake cup with aesthetic perfection.

2. Glaze - A milky white glaze that breathes gently

The glaze that covers the entire piece is a slightly thick milky white glaze with fine crazing running through it, which gives it a delicate appearance depending on the light.
The glaze thins slightly near the base, revealing the pale red of the clay, creating a warm appearance.
The natural shading created by firing gives the glaze surface a rich depth, creating an impression of tranquility and profundity.

3. Design - The dynamism and balance of the "horse pattern"

The inscription around the bottom of the rim is an abstract design depicting the horse.
The continuous composition of straight lines stretching up and down and a trident motif reminiscent of a horse's mane creates a sense of rhythm, like a herd of running horses galloping rhythmically.
Since ancient times, the horse has symbolized the "pinnacle of yang," signifying strength, freedom, and dynamism for the future.
In this piece, that symbolism is sublimated into the harmony between the quiet glaze surface and engraved lines.

4. Techniques - The mastery of line engraving and underglaze relief

After the clay is shaped on a potter's wheel and dried, the inscriptions are carefully carved one stroke at a time with an iron stylus.
When the glazing is applied, the glaze flows into the grooves of the engraved lines, and after firing, soft shadows are created under the glaze, giving the piece a three-dimensional appearance as if the pattern is breathing within the glaze.
This "glaze relief" technique is an advanced technique that can only be achieved by precisely controlling the depth of the lines and the thickness of the glaze, and it demonstrates the ninth generation's skilled kiln technique.

5. Historical and cultural background - Zodiac patterns and the symbolism of "horse"

The zodiac pattern has its origins in ancient China, and in Japan since the Heian period it has been widely used on utensils and architectural decorations as designs for protection and good fortune.
"Woman" is the seventh of the twelve zodiac signs, corresponds to the south direction, and corresponds to "fire" in the five elements, and represents the "pole of yang energy."
It symbolizes fiery passion or the power of the sun and has been revered as the guardian of activity and prosperity.
Takahashi Dohachi IX has reconstructed this classical symbolism as an aesthetic of form and line, finding a new harmony between tradition and modern sensibilities.

The 9th generation Takahashi Dohachi studied clothing design before moving on to pottery, and studied under the 8th generation in 1996. He succeeded to the name of the 9th generation in 2012.
His style of recreating the beauty of traditional Kyoto ware patterns with a modern sense of composition has earned him high praise for both tea and sake ware.

This "Go" sake cup is a masterpiece in which the rhythm of the engraved patterns within the tranquil white glaze resonates like the heartbeat of life.
When held in the palm of your hand, it exudes a pure and powerful presence, as if you could suddenly feel the breath of a horse bathed in sunlight.
This is a piece that is worthy of being kept close to you for a long time, whether as an everyday cup or as part of a tea ceremony.