Parent and Child Turtle Incense Holder by Rakusai Onishi

Width: 8.1cm x 6.0cm Height: 4.0cm

Parent and Child Turtle Incense Container (Oyakogame Kougou) Created by Rakusai Onishi

--"The crane lives for a thousand years, the turtle lives for ten thousand years" --The two shells contain eternal good fortune.

Work summary

This incense container was made by Yashiro Onairakusai , an Akahada potter in Nara, and is shaped like a mother and child turtle. The lid is made of the mother turtle's shell, and the adorable composition of the little turtle perched atop it embodies three auspicious wishes: longevity, prosperity of descendants, and stable family business . The inside of the body is hollow, making it a practical design for storing kneaded incense and pieces of aloeswood for use at tea ceremonies.

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Highlights of the design and coloring

The glaze is based on a pale yellow-gray color , and the ridges of the shell and the tips of the legs are painted with iron-rich red iron oxide with a brush, creating a reddish-brown accent. The glaze flows slightly during firing, causing the red to bleed, reminiscent of the tree rings of the Minogame, a turtle that has been covered in seaweed for many years.

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Techniques and characteristics of Akahada ware

Akahada ware is characterized by a "hadaai" texture that creates a faint cherry blossom color on a soft beige background, achieved by reducing firing the iron-containing Akahada clay . This piece is hand-twisted and molded, then the mother and baby turtles are integrated when it is half-dried, the shell pattern is carved out with a bamboo spatula, lines are drawn with red iron, and the pale yellow-gray glaze is fused by reduction firing, turning the iron into a reddish color. By going through these three steps, the warm and elegant earthenware color unique to Akahada ware is fused with familiar realism at a high level.

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Cultural background of the turtle motif

Turtles have been considered sacred animals of long life since ancient times, due to the legend that cranes live for a thousand years and turtles live for ten thousand years. They are also highly valued at celebratory occasions, including the "Rikyu-style turtle incense container" owned by Rikyu, as tea ceremony utensils.

Prosperity of Descendants <br data-end="1094" data-start="1091">The design of a baby turtle clinging to a parent turtle is derived from the "stone monument on a turtle's base" seen in Chinese auspicious paintings, and has been passed down as an icon praying for the prosperity of a family line.

Stability of the family business <br data-end="1176" data-start="1173">The shell is considered a symbol of "strength," and there are many examples of merchants and samurai families using turtle motifs to protect their storehouses.

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Arrangement at the tea ceremony

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The pottery philosophy of Rakusai Onishi

Onishi Rakusai believes in "transforming the history and auspiciousness of Nara into modern tea ceremony pottery," and continues to actively create works that feature seasonal auspicious animals and fruits, in addition to deer, temple bells, and shibo. This work incorporates the warm emotion of parent and child, and harmonizes the soft colors of Akahada ware with the meaning of auspicious patterns to create an incense holder that can be used for a wide range of occasions, from celebratory occasions to daily practice.

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summary

The "Parent and Child Turtle Incense Container" is a masterpiece that combines the turtle, a symbol of eternal time, with a story of family love and generational succession. When you open the lid, the incense smoke that rises will quietly spread between the two shells, spreading a peaceful and prosperous energy throughout the tea room. Please take your time to savor the warm design and auspicious prayers that are unique to Onishi Rakusai in the palm of your hand.

A conversation with Rakusai Onishi – High-end pottery specialty store [Amagi-do]