Kneaded sake cup by Ogawa Bunsai

Width: 8.0cm x 8.0cm Height: 5.0cm

Drinking the Earth - Nerikomi Sake Cup by Ogawa Bunsai VI (Kyo)

This "Nerikomi Sake Cup," created by the sixth generation Ogawa Bunsai (Oki), is a masterpiece that embodies a rustic charm and tranquility, as if capturing the memory of the earth. Created using the complex and time-consuming "nerikomi" technique, which involves layering clay of different colors, kneading it together, carving it out, and firing it, this vessel carries a story of its own that slowly draws the eye and heart of the viewer.

The layered brown flow that appears on the pale, subdued ochre base is reminiscent of faults in the surface of a mountain or the strata of a field. The subtle luster of the glaze gently envelops the earth without compromising its natural texture, creating a piece that exudes the richness of nature, as if holding it in the palm of your hand.

What "Nerikomi" Tells Us - The Memories of Clay and the Beauty of Accident

Nerikomi is a ceramic technique that is both decorative and allows the material itself to become the pattern. In this piece, the patterns are created by layering and shaping multiple clays with different properties and colors, then carving them out. Rather than painting with paint, the process is like digging up layers of earth, and can be said to be an expression that inscribes the aesthetics of "time" and "geology" into the vessel.

The coarseness of the clay particles, the differences in iron content, the shrinkage and changes that occur during firing - all of these natural phenomena are contained within this sake cup in the form of both chance and inevitability. The "respect for materials" that is often seen in Ogawa Bunsai's work is expressed straightforwardly through the technique of nerikomi.

Simple shape and exquisite handling

The shape is very simple, and the rim, which has a natural undulation within the nearly perfectly circular body, conveys the warmth that can only be achieved through handwork. The base is fired in its natural state, and the unglazed surface expresses the roughness of the clay, enhancing not only the appearance but also the tactile appeal when held in the palm of your hand.

The size and weight are perfectly balanced, fitting comfortably in the palm of your hand, and it feels very natural. The texture changes and becomes more familiar with use, making it truly worthy of being called a "tableware that grows with you."

Practical and poetic as a sake cup

When sake is poured into the vessel, the slightly yellowish interior shines faintly as the liquid flickers. The aroma of the sake, the temperature of your hand, the sound of pouring, the feel of the rim on your lips - this vessel becomes a stage that allows you to enjoy the act of drinking, which is experienced through the five senses, in an even richer way.

In particular, when you sip a drink from this vessel during a quiet moment, you will feel as if the "voice of the earth" resonates not with your ears but with your heart. This sake cup is a vessel that allows you to spend time with a part of nature, and that is the essence of this sake cup.

The sixth generation Ogawa Bunsai's perspective on "earth"

In the technique of nerikomi, Ogawa Bunsai does not rely on color or technique, but rather focuses on "the story of the clay itself." Bunsai, who is famous for his green glaze, has chosen the simple expression of nerikomi, which also shows his sincere attitude of returning to the origins of pottery: earth and fire.

"I create what I believe to be beautiful with all my might, while praying for peace." The works born from this belief have a core rather than decorative qualities. This work is quiet and warm, strong and gentle. It is a vessel that embodies such human charm.

The culture and prayers that reside in the palm of your hand

This "nerikomi guinomi" does not imitate the beauty of nature, but rather seems to invite "nature itself" into the palm of your hand. Mountains, wind, earth, fire, rain -- all of these are engraved into this small vessel.

The more you use it, the more its flavor deepens, and over time, a "landscape" emerges. Please enjoy this sake cup with you in a quiet moment in your daily life, and a drink that makes you listen to the poetry of the earth.