Traditional sake cup Sake Cup by Shin Fujihira

Width 7.5cm x Height 5.5cm

A conversation with Yasushi Fujihira

The beauty of sake cups full of poetic sentiment

The "Cinnabar Grass Pattern Sake Cup" is a sake cup imbued with a rich sensibility, as if it were a poem. Its exquisite shape and smooth texture have the power to soothe the soul just by holding it in one's hand. This piece, which gives a sense of warmth and familiarity to those who see and touch it, is a piece that symbolizes the artistic world of ceramic poet Shin Fujihira .

The harmony between the deep scarlet color of the cinnabar glaze and the grass pattern

The vivid scarlet color of the cinnabar glaze, which characterizes this cup, is the result of Fujihira's unique technique. The deep color subtly changes its appearance depending on the angle of the light and the surrounding colors, giving off a mysterious aura that draws the viewer in. The outside of the cup is also decorated with a simple, free-flowing grass pattern in a comb-painted style. While this grass pattern captures the beauty of nature, it also has a somewhat modern feel, which makes the contrast with the cinnabar glaze even more striking.

Beauty in every detail

The "Cinnabar Grass Pattern Sake Cup" is painstakingly crafted down to the smallest detail of its design. Its lightness when held in the hand and smooth rim when it touches the lips are the result of a design that takes the user into careful consideration. The clear color tones that can be enjoyed in any season and the shadows created by the grass pattern carvings give the cup itself movement, creating a quiet yet lively impression.

Poetry born naturally

Shin Fujihira's works are shaped by hand or using the Tatara technique, without using a potter's wheel. His natural approach to production is reflected in the simple and elegant form of the "Cinnabar Grass Pattern Sake Cup." This cup is not just a vessel, but also has value as an art piece that reflects the potter's playfulness and poetic sentiment.

Shin Fujihira's artistic background and philosophy

Shin Fujihira was born in Gojozaka, Kyoto, and grew up in a family that ran a pottery business. Although he was forced to take a long period of convalescence due to tuberculosis, the artistic sensibility he developed during that time had a major impact on his later pottery activities. Unconstrained by the potter's wheel or traditional techniques, he carved out his own unique world of pottery through his poetic and free-spirited creative activities. While influenced by Chinese figurines and traditional Japanese crafts, his works are imbued with a light and witty sensibility, and he is widely regarded as the "poet of pottery."

The appeal of cinnabar-patterned sake cups

The "Cinnabar Grass Pattern Sake Cup" brings a special moment to your daily life with its beautiful cinnabar glaze and flowing grass pattern. When you hold it in your hand and pour sake into it, the changing colors and light spread throughout it, creating an even richer taste. This cup is one of the best pottery for those who want to incorporate Shin Fujihira's sensibility into their daily lives. The "Cinnabar Grass Pattern Sake Cup" is particularly poetic among Shin Fujihira's pottery, and is a work that gives you both the joy of using it and the joy of appreciating it. The unique scarlet color of the cinnabar glaze, the nature-themed grass pattern, and the shape that fits comfortably in the hand have the power to bring the breath of art into your daily life. This cup is not just a sake vessel, but a small work of art that reflects the beauty of life.

Shin Fujihira Biography
1944 Entered Kyoto Higher Technical School but dropped out due to illness
1945 Started pottery at Tohei Ceramic Arts
1957: Won the Hokuto Prize at the 13th Nitten Exhibition
1960 Florence International Ceramic Exhibition, Italy
1963: Received the Kikka Award at the 6th Shin-Nihon Exhibition and the Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Merit Award
1968 New Generation Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition: Ceramic Art Today - From Kyoto
1970 Contemporary Ceramics Europe and Japan Exhibition
1973 Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award
1974 Latin American Travel Exhibition
1976 Traveling exhibition of Japanese ceramic masterpieces in East Germany
1978 Traveling exhibition of Japanese ceramic masterpieces in West Germany
1982 US/Canada Traveling Exhibition
1983 Contemporary Japanese Crafts Exhibition
1985: Perspectives on Contemporary Japanese Art
1990: Winner of the Kyoto Art and Culture Award
1991 Received the Kyoto City Cultural Merit Award

"This is a new, unused piece. It is currently kept at the Fujihira Shin Memorial Museum. If you purchase it, his son, Fujihira Yasushi, will create a box to certify that it is an authentic piece."