28 Straw Ash Rice Battledore Incense Holder by Miyagawa Kosai

Height: 2.0cm Width: 10.0cm x 4.0cm

The "Straw Ash Rice Hagoita Incense Container Miyagawa Kosai" is a piece that combines functionality as a tea ceremony utensil with artistic value. This incense container is made using a generous amount of "straw ash glaze," a traditional glazing technique of the Miyagawa Kosai family, and is characterized by its soft bluish color and warm surface. Straw ash glaze is an important glaze that has been carefully passed down through the generations of the Miyagawa family, and is one of the elements that create the unique beauty of Makuzu ware.

The beauty and appeal of straw ash glaze

Straw ash glaze is a technique in which rice straw is burned to ash and used as a glaze. This glaze gives the work a mellow, milky, plump appearance, and a unique elegance that exudes a sense of elegance to the viewer. Even if the same straw ash glaze is used, the color varies depending on the type of clay, so it can sometimes have a warm reddish hue or a cool bluish-white color. In this way, straw ash glaze does not simply pursue beauty, but embodies the aesthetics of Makzu ware, which emphasizes harmony with the clay. Miyagawa Chozo, the fifth head of the Miyagawa family, was particularly skilled in using this glaze, and his technique of copying Ninsei has continued to make use of this straw ash glaze in Makzu ware works. The modern "straw ash rice shuttlecock incense container" is also filled with the techniques and aesthetic sense that have been passed down through the long tradition of the Miyagawa family.

The role of incense containers and their significance in the tea ceremony

An incense box is an essential tool in the tea ceremony, used to hold incense when preparing the charcoal. If the charcoal preparation is omitted in a tea ceremony, the incense box is displayed in the tokonoma alcove, and together with seasonal flowers, flower vases, and hanging scrolls, it becomes an ornament that reflects the taste of the host. More than being a simple practical container, the incense box plays an important role in adding color to the aesthetics of the tea room. The straw ash rice hagoita incense box, Miyagawa Kosai, is designed with a hagoita motif, and the shape of the hagoita, which has been used as a lucky charm during the New Year, is expressed on the incense box. The hagoita, with its fan-shaped shape, is considered to be a talisman to ward off evil spirits and bad luck, and is a symbol of prayers for happiness as the new year approaches. It became popular especially during the Edo period, and has been popular among ordinary people as a New Year decoration and a talisman for baby girls.

Cultural background and symbolism of Hagoita

This piece is based on the motif of a hagoita (battledore), whose shape is imbued with the meaning of avoiding disasters and praying for happiness. Hagoita were originally used at the Imperial Court and in aristocratic society, but in the Edo period they became widely popular among the general public as well, and were established as a New Year's game and decoration. The auspicious shape of the hagoita represents prayers for happiness and warding off evil spirits as the new year approaches, and it is still treasured as part of traditional Japanese culture today. As the feathers fly through the air during hagoita play, resembling dragonflies, they are also considered talismans for protection from illness and the health of children, and are an item that represents parents' wishes for their children's health. In this way, hagoita are not just toys or decorations, but are imbued with deep cultural meaning and prayer.

The history of Makuzu ware and the Miyagawa family

The "Wara-Ashi Ina Hagoita Incense Box" is a work born from the long history of Makuzu ware, which began in the Jokyo era (1684-1687). The first head of the Miyagawa family, Miyagawa Kobee Masakazu, left Miyagawa Village, Sakata County, Omi Province (present-day Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture) for Kyoto and made a living as a potter in front of Chion-in Temple. His descendants have inherited the techniques of pottery for generations, and while preserving the traditions of Kyoto ware, they have adopted new techniques and created works that meet the needs of the times. Makuzu ware is particularly known for the production of tea utensils and sencha tea utensils, and its beauty and practicality have been appreciated from the Edo period to the present day. The current head of the family, Miyagawa Kosai, is the seventh generation to continue preserving the traditions and continues to create works, mainly tea utensils.

International recognition and inheritance for the future

In recent years, Makuzu ware has been highly acclaimed both at home and abroad, and Miyagawa Kosai's works are collected in many countries, including the United States, Europe, and China. The Victoria and Albert Museum (London) and the Permanent Mission of Japan to UNESCO (Paris) also hold Makuzu ware's technology and beauty, and it is recognized worldwide. The "Wara-Ashi Ina Hagoita Incense Box Miyagawa Kosai" is a work loved by tea ceremony enthusiasts both at home and abroad for its beautiful glaze and design, and is a masterpiece that combines tradition and modern sensibility. Through such works, the long history of the Miyagawa family and the Makuzu ware technology will be passed down to future generations. This work not only embodies the spirit of tea ceremony, but also symbolizes the fusion of traditional Japanese culture and art. The soft colors created by the straw ash glaze harmonize with the auspicious motif of the hagoita, and shine in the tea room or tokonoma as a symbol of seasonal feeling and prayer for happiness. This incense container is both practical and highly valued as a work of art; its presence goes beyond that of a tea ceremony utensil and has become an icon symbolizing Japanese culture.