Sake cup, Rooster design by Takahashi Michihachi

Width: 6.1cm Height: 4.5cm

This piece, featuring an engraved "rooster" reminiscent of an ancient symbolic pattern, emerges from the clear milky white glaze and is part of the "Twelve Zodiac Sake Cups" series by Takahashi Michihachi IX. The well-balanced shape, intricate engraved lines, and tranquil glaze tone come together to beautifully blend the traditions of Kyoto ware with modern sensibilities. Below, we will explore its appeal from five perspectives.

1. Beauty of form - A refined yet soft appearance

The shape of the vessel is a slightly wide-mouthed bowl, with a natural opening towards the rim, giving it a refreshing impression. The body is plump and tapers gently towards the base, giving it a stable feel in the palm of your hand and a comfortable weight balance. The precise potter's wheel technique, typical of Takahashi Michihachi, creates a refined tension within the softness.

2. Glaze Tone - Serene milky white glaze and crazing

The milky white glaze that covers the entire piece is somewhat thick, softly reflecting light and giving off a gentle luster. Fine crazing runs across the surface, and as tea and sake soak into it over many years of use, the appearance deepens with the passage of time. A slight reddish hue from the clay peeks out near the base, adding warmth to the white.

3. Design - The symbol of good fortune contained in the "rooster design"

The engraved inscriptions that circle the bottom of the rim are an abstract design of the rooster. Their regularly-spaced form evokes the image of a bird with its wings spread, and they implicitly represent flight, development, and good fortune. Since ancient times, the rooster has been associated with "taking in" and "harvesting" and has been a beloved symbol of prosperous business and abundance. In this piece, this symbolism is sublimated into a neat continuous line, evoking the rhythm of life amidst silence.

4. Technique: Relief expression through the harmony of engraved lines and glaze

The inscriptions are carefully carved one stroke at a time during the drying stage, and the glaze naturally pools along the unevenness, creating soft shadows reminiscent of a relief. By precisely controlling the thickness and shrinkage of the glaze, the inscriptions do not sink into the glaze, resulting in a three-dimensional finish that stands out. The balanced rhythm and solid technique achieve a perfect harmony between form and decoration.

5. Historical and Cultural Background - Reconstruction of the Zodiac Design

Zodiac patterns originated in ancient China, and in Japan from the Heian period onwards, they were incorporated into architecture, furnishings and ceramics as designs of protection and good fortune. The rooster in particular is a sacred symbol used in religious ceremonies and ritual implements, and is said to tell time and bring good fortune. Takahashi Dohachi, the ninth head priest, has reconstructed this classical symbol with a modern aesthetic sense, imbuing it with deep spirituality in its subdued simplicity.

The ninth generation Takahashi Dohachi studied fashion design before studying under the eighth generation in 1996. He succeeded to the name of the ninth generation in 2012, and while carrying on the traditions of Kyoto ware, he is exploring the fusion of form and design.

This "Rooster" sake cup is a masterpiece in which a continuous pattern engraved into the tranquil world of white glaze plays the rhythm of life like a flock of flapping birds. A prayer for eternity and rebirth quietly lives within this small universe that fits in the palm of your hand.