Tenmoku glaze sake bottle by Okada Masaru

Width: 8.4cm Height: 11.2cm

Tenmoku glaze sake bottle by Okada Masaru - "The black lapis lazuli, imbued with starry skies, reflects the night sky in each sip of sake."

Overview of the work

This small sake bottle fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. The deep blue Tenmoku glaze sparkles with black silver, and the purple-red outlines created by the reduction flame run faintly along the rim and ridges of the steps. The fine silver sand twinkles like stardust depending on the strength of the light, and from Nada Ki-ippon to Yamazato Doburoku, the sake poured into it is transported to the deep night sky.

The mysterious beauty of Tenmoku glaze

Stardust on Silver Sand <br data-end="536" data-start="533">The iron crystals precipitated on the surface shine silver-gray, and depending on the angle of the light, they resemble the night sky.

Pale red between the fires <br data-end="589" data-start="586">The temperature fluctuations of the reduction firing cause the ridges to bleed reddish purple, giving the darkness a sense of warmth.

Deepening with age <br data-end="640" data-start="637">The trace components of sake soak into the glaze, and the more it is used, the more astringent the black becomes, and the silver sand sinks in elegantly.

Echoes of history

Tenmoku glaze, which originated from the black-glazed tea bowls of the Song Dynasty Jian kilns, was introduced to Japan by Zen monks and came to symbolize the darkness and light of wabicha tea. The idea of ​​applying it to sake vessels can also be seen in the Oribe and Iga styles of the Momoyama period, but Okada Masaru has used floating silver sand like stardust and bamboo joint-shaped designs to replicate the bamboo forests of the mountain villages at night, bringing a drop of mysterious elegance to modern drinking ceremonies.

Conclusion

As you pour sake from the cup, stardust sways beneath the black lapis lazuli, and the purple-red ridges reveal the subtle temperature of the sake. Whether enjoying a quiet evening drink or entertaining guests, this Tenmoku glazed sake bottle will accompany each sip with a story of the night sky. We hope you will enjoy using it for many years to come, and savor the overlapping shadows deepened by the Tenmoku glaze and the aroma of the sake.