Tenmoku glaze sake bottle by Okada Masaru

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Overview of the Work

A neat sake bottle that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. The Tenmoku glaze, inherited from the Song Dynasty Jianzhan, shimmers silver-blue behind the black lapis lazuli. The body is carved in five layers. The pale pink "fire marks" left by the reduction flame at each section are faintly visible, evoking the dawn light shining on the mountain shadows. The mouth is elegantly curved outwards, allowing for easy pouring and a comfortable grip. This is a versatile vessel that can be used for both cold and warm sake.

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Scenery of Tenmoku glaze and kiln transformation

Silver-Blue Stardust <br data-end="594" data-start="591">Tiny iron crystals turn into silver sand, which twinkles in the darkness, picking up the faint light.

Pale Pink Fire <br data-end="644" data-start="641">The reddish purple that lies on the ridges of each tier adds warmth to the darkness, and its appearance changes with the temperature of the sake.

Pear-skin texture <br data-end="694" data-start="691">The texture, which is both matte and glossy, is pleasant to the touch and does not easily let the temperature of the alcohol escape.

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History and the author's perspective

Black-glazed sake vessels continue the lineage of the "aesthetics of darkness" pioneered by Momoyama Oribe and Setoguro. Okada Masaru combines the techniques of Gojozaka in Kiyomizu with the night air of Sumiyama in Uji to sublimate Tenmoku glaze into modern sake vessels. The five layers represent the layers of clouds crossing the mountain ridges, the silvery blue represents starlight, and the pale pink represents the signs of dawn. The more you drink, the more the story of the sky changing from night to morning unfolds within the cup.

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Conclusion

A Tenmoku glaze sake bottle with deep black lapis lazuli and moon clouds. Every time you pour, the ridges cast shadows, and the silver-blue sway gently around the rim of the cup. Please let it accompany you for a long time, as it envelops your drinking time in the poetry of the night sky.