Colored enamel incense burner by Miyagawa Kosai

Height: 12.5cm Width: 9.5cm

A conversation with Kosai Miyagawa

The "Iroe Shippo Open Incense Burner Miyagawa Kosai" is one of the most beautiful tea ceremony utensils, combining the techniques of the Miyagawa family's proud Makuzu ware with the traditional Japanese pattern "shippo". Incense burners are tools used to burn incense wood and enjoy its aroma, and have played an important role in tea ceremonies and religious ceremonies. This incense burner is decorated with Shippo patterns and features intricate openwork carvings. Shippo originally refers to the seven treasures written in Buddhist scriptures, each symbolizing nobility and lasting value, but here it is used as a design of continuous circles. This chain of circles symbolizes the connection of "en" (fate), and is deeply rooted in Japanese culture as an auspicious pattern that prays for human bonds, prosperity of descendants, and family harmony.

The origin and meaning of Shippo pattern

The Shippo pattern has been used in Japanese decorations and crafts since ancient times as one of the traditional patterns. This pattern is a geometric pattern of overlapping circles of the same size vertically and horizontally, forming a mesh-like pattern. The infinite chain of circles represents harmony and prosperity, and has come to be known as an auspicious design. Shippo patterns also contain wishes for prosperity of descendants and family, and for this reason are often used for celebrations such as weddings and moving.

This Shippo pattern is used in a variety of situations in Japan, from family crests and folding screens to kimonos and architectural decorations. In addition, since the word Shippo itself has a Buddhist meaning of "seven treasures," the Shippo pattern as a motif represents the richness of family and human relationships, and the infinite possibilities they have.

Miyagawa Kosai and the techniques of Makuzu ware

The name "Miyagawa Kosai" comes from the proud lineage of the Miyagawa family, a distinguished Kyoto ware maker. The Miyagawa family is a distinguished family that has been around since the Edo period, and has inherited a unique ceramic technique known as "Makuzu ware." Makuzu ware is characterized by transparent glazes and intricate decorations, and works that use colorful glazes called iroe in particular have received high praise both in Japan and overseas.

The techniques of Makkuzu ware were developed by Miyagawa Yukan, who began making pottery in Kyoto in the early Edo period, together with his son Miyagawa Jihei. Makkuzu ware was initially fired in Makkugahara, Higashiyama, Kyoto (near present-day Maruyama Park), but the first Miyagawa Kozan, who later moved to Yokohama, further developed the techniques and made them renowned worldwide. Works by the Miyagawa Kosai family are still in the collections of museums and collectors overseas, and are recognized as prime examples of traditional Japanese arts and crafts.

The design and structure of a colored enamel incense burner

As its name suggests, the "Colored Shippo Open Incense Burner" is a beautiful piece of colored pottery decorated with Shippo patterns and openwork carving. The openwork carving technique is designed to create small holes and gaps in the surface of the pottery, allowing the aroma rising from the incense burner to slowly spread throughout the space. Fragrance is considered an important element, particularly in tea ceremonies, and the aroma rising from the incense burner in a quiet space has the effect of calming the mind and enhancing the atmosphere of the tea ceremony.

Another distinctive feature of this incense burner is that it has three legs. Three-legged incense burners were introduced from ancient China and have been treasured in Japan as well, due to their high stability and the fact that the number "three" is considered to be auspicious. Three-legged incense burners are said to originate from the three-legged frog, a Chinese mythical beast, and are considered to be a symbol of fertility and good fortune.

The auspicious meaning of Shippo patterns and the role of incense burners

The interlocking circles of the Shippo pattern symbolize infinite connections and are an auspicious pattern that brings about wishes for "harmony," "marriage," and "fate." By incorporating this pattern into an incense burner, the act of enjoying the scent itself deepens the connections and ties between people, and even takes on a deeper meaning of wishing for the prosperity of one's family and descendants. In the world of tea ceremony in particular, the incense burner is more than just a tool for burning incense; it is an important item that symbolizes the harmony of the entire space and spiritual purification.

Ashes are placed inside the incense burner, charcoal is placed on top of that, and fragrant wood is placed on top of the charcoal to release the fragrance. To prevent the fragrant wood from burning, the fragrance slowly spreads throughout the tea room for a long period of time, calming the mind and enhancing the tranquility of the tea ceremony.

Miyagawa Kosai's works and worldwide acclaim

The Miyagawa Kosai family has produced many tea ceremony utensils and arts and crafts, faithfully adhering to traditional techniques while incorporating modern sensibilities in their designs. Miyagawa Kosai, especially from the fourth generation onwards, has a remarkable track record in the production of tea ceremony utensils, and their works are held in museums and private collectors both in Japan and abroad. Their works are also held in international institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum (London) and the Permanent Mission of Japan to UNESCO (Paris), and are widely known as representatives of traditional Japanese crafts. This work is an excellent art and craft that combines traditional Japanese cloisonné patterns and openwork carving techniques. The design of this incense burner is imbued with the meaning of wishing for harmony, prosperity, and enhances its value in the world of tea ceremony. This incense burner, created by the Miyagawa Kosai family's long history and outstanding skills, has been passed down to the present day and continues to attract people's hearts as a masterpiece that embodies the richness of Japanese culture.