Tenmoku glaze sake bottle by Okada Masaru

Overview of the work

This elegant sake bottle fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. The Tenmoku glaze, inherited from the Jianzhan style of the Song dynasty, shimmers silver-blue behind the black lapis lazuli. The five-layered carving around the body of the bottle reveals a faint pink "fire mark" left by the reduction flame at each section, evoking the dawn light shining on the mountain shadows. The mouth is elegantly curved outwards, allowing for easy pouring and a comfortable grip. This versatile vessel is suitable for both cold and hot sake.

Tenmoku glaze and kiln changes

Silver-blue Stardust <br data-start="591" data-end="594">Tiny iron crystals turn into silver sand, which twinkles in the darkness, picking up the faint light.

Pale pink fire <br data-start="641" data-end="644">The reddish-purple that dwells on the ridges of each tier adds warmth to the darkness, changing its appearance with the temperature of the sake.

Pear-skin texture <br data-start="691" data-end="694">The surface has a matte and glossy finish that is pleasant to the touch and prevents the temperature of the alcohol from escaping.

History and the author's perspective

Black-glazed sake vessels continue the lineage of the "aesthetics of darkness" pioneered by Momoyama Oribe and Setoguro ware. Okada Masaru combines the techniques of Gojozaka in Kiyomizu with the night air of Sumiyama in Uji, sublimating Tenmoku glaze into modern sake vessels. The five layers represent layers of clouds crossing the mountain ridge, the silver-blue represents starlight, and the pale pink represents the signs of dawn. The more you drink, the more the story of the sky changing from night to morning unfolds within the sake cup.

Conclusion

This Tenmoku glaze sake bottle features deep black lapis lazuli and moon clouds layered on top of it. With each pour, the ridges cast a shadow, and the silver-blue color gently sways around the rim of the sake cup. Please keep this sake bottle with you for many years to come, as it will envelop your drinking time in the poetry of the night sky.