Narumi Oribe Guinomi (Sake Cup) by Hideki Yanashita

Width 6.9cm Height 4.9cm

By Yanagishita Tokiki - A vessel where color and earth intertwine, holding a layer of memory in the palm of your hand

Many scenes and memories are layered in one small container.
The Narumi Oribe Sake Cup by Yanashita Hideki is a masterpiece of modern Oribe ware that allows you to experience this "multi-layered visual experience" and "harmonious design" in the palm of your hand.
It can be described as a dense "microcosm" that inherits the free and open spirit of Momoyama pottery while incorporating the serenity and refinement of modern times.

The appeal of Narumi Oribe, a "complex pottery"

Narumi Oribe is a form of expression that requires particularly advanced techniques and compositional skills, even within the scope of Oribe ware.
It is a work that can truly be called a "comprehensive art of pottery," in which different clays, glazes, and lines coexist on the vessel, maintaining harmony without confusion.
Rather than a single beauty, different elements resonate and resonate with each other to create new scenery - this is the essence of Narumi Oribe's beauty.

Mr. Yanagishita has brilliantly captured the essence of Narumi Oribe in the palm of his hand.
Within the limited space of a sake cup, the glaze, clay, painting, and shape quietly but with a strong presence intertwine, carefully conveying the world of Oribe to the drinker's eyes, hands, and senses.

Layers of color and texture: the richness of "seeing"

First of all, this sake cup has a very rich visual expression.
Part of the vessel is covered with a white clay glaze, on which iron painting is applied with light brushstrokes. The lines are simple and restrained, yet they are drawn as if in dialogue with the clay, and the lines sway slightly beneath the glaze, giving the impression of a quiet breathing movement.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the vessel, a copper-green glaze flows gently down, revealing the deep, rich color of "Oribe green."
The muted green color evokes the dampness of moss, or the hint of light sinking into the shade of a garden tree. Rather than being decorative, it permeates the vessel as a breathing landscape.

The reddish-brown color of the clay itself also plays a beautiful role. The roughness of the unglazed clay and the fire color that emerges during firing are naturally revealed, and the green, white, and red clay coexist as if in dialogue with each other.

The shape of the sake cup tells the story of a "landscape in the palm of your hand"

Unlike teacups or bowls, which are meant to be displayed, sake cups are highly physical vessels that are evaluated based on how they are picked up, brought to the lips, and even the sensations they convey in the mouth .

This Narumi Oribe sake cup by Mr. Yanagishita is not only visually appealing, but is also filled with the joy of being used as a vessel.
The rim is slightly thin, making it extremely smooth to the touch. The body is plump, yet has a soft curve that allows your fingers to fit naturally, and it fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.
This "beauty for use" sets it apart from mere decorative vessels, creating art that exists in everyday life.

Narumi Oribe as a "fault line of memory" in pottery

What is particularly noteworthy about this vessel is its "multi-layered surface."
The white clay, iron painting, glaze, and base material overlap, but do not blend together and continue to exist as a single layer.
It is as if the surface is an intersection of the past and the present, like an archaeological stratum.

This Narumi Oribe sake cup is truly a "fault line in memory."
At first glance, they appear to be abstract paintings, but also to some extent landscape paintings, quietly stirring the memories and emotions of the viewer. To some, they may appear as a moss garden, to others as fragments of an old map, and to others as architecture from a dream.
Mr. Yanagishita has skillfully woven such "space that resonates with individual memories" into this small vessel.

The modern form of "Oribe"

Oribe ware is a symbol of Momoyama pottery, emphasizing freedom, variety, color, and decoration , in contrast to Sen no Rikyu's wabi tea.
Among them, Narumi Oribe is the style that pursues the most structured and complex beauty.

Yanagishita Tokiki expresses the spirit of Narumi Oribe without making excessive claims, but rather as a quiet harmony.
It's like a "form that resonates like a chord." There is no central role, and all elements are of equal rank, yet the unity of the vessel is not lost - it teaches us the beauty of the coexistence of different values.

Vessels that grow together - color, soil, and your time

Another attractive feature of this vessel is that it is a "vessel for growth."
As the vessel is used, the surface of the glaze will craze, tiny stains will appear, and the components of the sake will permeate the vessel.
It's not deterioration, but a "record of the time we spent together."
The Oribe green, white mud, and red clay gradually change their appearance, becoming a unique "landscape" for the user.

This Narumi Oribe sake cup is a beautiful tool that evolves with time, with the idea of ​​deepening the relationship between the vessel and the person already woven into it.
With each sip, the view changes. This is precisely the quiet concept of Mr. Yanagishita, who believes that the vessel should accompany the user through their life.

Hideki Yanashita Profile
Ceramic artist 1967 –
Born in Tokyo, Yanagishita currently lives and works in Iga City, Mie Prefecture. Fascinated by pottery from the Momoyama period, he embarked on a career in ceramics. After training in Shigaraki , he built his own anagama kiln in Iga, Mie Prefecture, and opened the "Kanda Kiln." Under the tutelage of Sadamitsu Sugimoto, he delves deeply into the world of wabi-sabi from his own unique perspective, producing a diverse range of works, including Raku ware, Yakishime, Ido, and Oribe ware. An important theme in Yanagishita's creative endeavors is the pursuit of new heights , born from the incorporation of modern materials and unique approaches, while deeply studying the techniques and spirit of his predecessors. His works question essential beauty that transcends time and invite viewers into a deeper world of art.

Base of operations : Iga, Mie Prefecture