Flower vase in the shape of a gourd by Dohachi Takahashi

Width: 9.21cm Height: 21.3cm

Nanban gourd-shaped vase - Takahashi Michihachi IX

With its soft silver-gray texture and the graceful double silhouette created by the bulging and creased edges, this vase crystallizes the rustic charm of the "Nanbanmono" style that has been highly valued in the tea ceremony, with the refinement unique to Takahashi Michihachi IX. Below, we will introduce its appeal and background in detail from five perspectives.

1. Beauty of Form - The auspiciousness and rhythm of the gourd

The two-tiered gourd shape, with a slender upper opening, a slight taper in the middle, and a generous bottom, symbolizes yin-yang harmony and fertility. The soft curves of the shoulders envelop the flower, and the stability of the bottom bulb provides firm support for the whole vase, making it easy to decide on the shape of a vase for a single flower or a branch. The inside of the vase is connected with a smooth curve from the opening to the bottom, and is designed to naturally hold the flowers.

2. Base and firing - Iron base copied from Nanban

The clay used is rich in iron, a characteristic of Nanban vases, and the piece is fired at high temperatures almost entirely unglazed, giving it a dull luster reminiscent of metal and a subtle fire color. The partially visible purple-brown color is the result of the fluctuations of the reducing and oxidizing flames. When you stroke the piece with your palm, you can feel the subtle powdery texture, allowing you to enjoy the natural feel of the material.

3. Design - Good luck in gourds

Gourds have been loved since ancient times as a talisman or a protection for tools, due to the play on words that sounds similar to "no illness (rokuhyo)". In tea rooms, they are used as a symbol of good fortune and are valued for flower arrangements at New Year's and celebratory occasions. This piece is completely free of decoration, and the shape itself is designed to achieve both simplicity and elegance. The design, which avoids extravagance, further enhances the purity of the tea flowers.

4. Technique: Turning the potter's wheel in one go and the art of fire-changing

The clay is shaped on a potter's wheel in one piece, and the top and bottom are turned out in a single motion, creating a rhythmic relationship between the tension and the squeeze of the body. After bisque firing, the piece is fired for a long time in a climbing kiln or a reduction electric kiln, giving it a slightly carbonized appearance. The difference in the placement of the front and back of the fire creates a faint cloud pattern on the side, creating a unique look that can only be achieved with unglazed pieces.

5. Historical and cultural background: Yearning for Nanban in the tea ceremony

"Nanban" refers to Southeast Asian-style baked ceramics that were introduced to Japan in the late Muromachi and Momoyama periods, and its simplicity and earthy taste captured the hearts of tea masters such as Sen no Rikyu. Takahashi Dohachi is a prestigious family of Kyoto-style ware colored paintings, but they are also deeply involved in the study of ancient pottery, and in this work they have inherited the spirit of the Nanban vase while reinterpreting it with neat lines that will look good in modern spaces. Bridging the gap between tradition and modernity is the true essence of the 9th generation's work.

The Takahashi Dohachi family has been known as a prestigious Kyoto ware color painting family since the late Edo period. The ninth generation master graduated from the Department of Clothing Design at Kyoto Bunkyo Junior College, majored in design, and then went on to the Department of Molding and Research at Kyoto Prefectural Ceramic Technical College, and further solidified his technical foundation at the Kyoto Industrial Research Institute.

In 1996, he began to study pottery under his father, Dohachi Yashiro, and began making pottery in earnest.

In 2012, he took on the name of the ninth Takahashi Dohachi.

His style, which combines the sense of form cultivated in clothing design with the traditional techniques of Kyoto ware, has breathed new life into the Dohachi family of pottery and displays a sophistication that stands out in modern tea ceremonies and gallery spaces.

The silver-gray surface, stripped of all decoration, and the soft rhythm of the gourd shape combine to create a vase that exudes both dignified serenity and a warm, refined elegance. The narrow opening widens gently inwards, making it easy to adjust the amount of water and suitable for a wide range of items, from wildflowers to tea flowers. If you gently place a seasonal flower in it, it will rise as if floating in the air, adding a touch of class to the atmosphere of the tea ceremony. Please use it for many years to come and enjoy the earthy taste that deepens with each interaction with the flowers, and the mysterious beauty of the Nanban style.