Kenzan's Snow-covered Plum Blossom Sake Cup by Kosai Miyagawa

Height: 7.5cm Width: 6.5cm

This work, "Kenzan's Copy of Plum Blossoms in the Snow Sake Cup," depicts delicate plum blossoms blooming in the snow, skillfully expressing their beauty and the feeling of the season. The surface of the vessel is decorated with a slightly mounded snow, further enhancing the plum blossoms that bloom there. This motif of plum blossoms in the snow has appeared in many masterpieces of Japanese painting, such as "Plum Blossoms in the Snow, Bamboo and Birds Playing in the Snow" by Kano Tan'yu, an official painter of the early Edo period, and "Plum Blossoms in the Snow" by Tsuchida Bakusen. As with these works, the contrast between the snow and the plum blossoms evokes both the stillness of winter and the breath of spring, embodying a delicate beauty.

The ease and appeal of sake cups

This sake cup is slightly larger than a regular guinomi sake cup, and is light and easy to hold. Its large capacity allows you to enjoy your sake slowly while admiring the beautiful pattern on the cup. With every sip, the image of plum blossoms in the snow will come into view, allowing you to spend an elegant moment.

What is a Kenzan copy?

"Kenzan copies" refer to works that imitate the style of Ogata Kenzan, a master of Kyoto ware from the Edo period. Kenzan, along with his brother Ogata Korin, incorporated gorgeous floral patterns influenced by the Rinpa school and free and bold designs into Kyoto ware. Kenzan's plum motifs in particular are characterized by the contrast between the vibrant trunk and the delicate flowers, and the theme of plum blossoms in the snow likely held a special meaning in his work as well. "Kenzan copies" are not simply imitations, but a technique that incorporates Kenzan's techniques and aesthetic sense while creating works that add a new interpretation.

The Miyagawa Kosai family and the charm of straw ash glaze

This sake cup is adorned with straw ash glaze, a unique glaze from the Miyagawa Kosai family. Straw ash glaze is a particularly precious glaze among Kyoto ware, characterized by its soft bluish texture. This glaze has been carefully passed down through generations of heads of the Makuzu ware family, and when applied to the entire vessel, it creates a mellow, milky white skin, giving the vessel a unique texture that combines warmth and elegance. The glaze's appearance also changes depending on the type of clay and firing method, sometimes resulting in a warm reddish hue and sometimes a cool, bluish-white hue. As such, the straw ash glaze has a different character for each vessel, allowing you to discover new charms every time you pick up a piece.

The history and inheritance of Makuzu ware

Makuzu ware began during the Jokyo era (1684-1687) in the Edo period, when Yukan Miyagawa Kobee Masakazu opened a kiln in Kyoto. It was subsequently passed down through the Chobei and Jibei families, and the name of Makuzu ware spread particularly when Miyagawa Chozo, the fifth head of the Chobei family, opened a kiln in Makuzugahara, Higashiyama. The Miyagawa Kosai family continued to produce tea ceremony and sencha tea utensils, passing on Makuzu ware to the present day. The current Makuzu ware master, Miyagawa Kosai, the seventh head of the family, continues to carry on the tradition and techniques, producing pieces that are highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad. Miyagawa family works are held in numerous museums, including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Permanent Mission of Japan to UNESCO in Paris, and are beloved by many collectors. The "Kenzan-Replica Sake Cup with a Plum Blossom in Snow" is a masterpiece that embodies the tradition and skill of the Miyagawa Kosai family. The delicate plum blossom motif of Kenzan's work is beautifully combined with the beauty of the straw ash glaze that has been passed down through generations, providing a rich experience both visually and tactilely. You will be able to enjoy the luxurious experience of tasting sake while savoring the techniques and aesthetic sense that have been honed over a long history.

A conversation with Miyagawa Kosai