Blue and white tsunami sake cup by Kotaro Ikura

Width: 8.0cm Height: 4.7cm

We would like to introduce the delicate and beautiful "Blue and White Porcelain Water Firefly Cup" created by Ikura Kotaro, a potter living in Yagyu, a mountain village in Nara that is famous as the home of the master swordsman. This work, which inherits the tradition of celadon porcelain and combines history and modern techniques, is packed with refined beauty and a wealth of techniques in its small size.

The delicate beauty of the Hotarude technique

The "Blue and White Porcelain Mizunohana Sake Cup" is a work that makes full use of the "Hotarude" technique, which allows light to pass through. A transparent glaze is carefully applied to the openwork carvings on the thin sake cup, and when light passes through the carvings, they become softly transparent and glow ephemerally like fireflies. This delicate and beautiful sight will make the moment you pour sake a special one.

The transparency and color of blue-and-white porcelain

The beauty of the pale blue porcelain, a hallmark of Ikura Kotaro's work, is fully displayed in this sake cup. A translucent glaze covers the entire cup, and its smooth curves, reminiscent of flowing water, and refreshing light blue color are captivating. In particular, the delicate texture, which is created by the thin construction, and the transparent color unique to pale blue porcelain are in perfect harmony, and you will be captivated by its beauty every time you pick up the sake cup.

A new fusion of tradition and modern technology born in the land of Yagyu ware

Yagyu ware began when Harumomo Gozen, the grandmother of the swordsman Yagyu Jubei, fired a horse-headed Kannon statue, and the kiln was discontinued until the Meiji era, after which Mr. Ikura, the fourth generation to inherit the tradition, has taken over the kiln. He studied under Fujiwara Tsunenobu, a leading expert in white porcelain, at Osaka University of Arts, and used his refined techniques to create this "Blue and White Porcelain Water Firefly Sake Cup."

Carefully crafted to fit comfortably in your hand

Ikura Kotaro's works are characterized by their excellent comfort, fitting perfectly in the hand. This sake cup has been carefully carved using a plane, and its delicate curves fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, providing a comfortable feeling every time you hold it. Despite its small and cute form, it has a definite presence that will enrich your daily evening drinks. It can also be displayed without actually using it.

The pinnacle of traditional Japanese crafts

He studied under the master of white porcelain, Fujiwara Tsunenobu, at Osaka University of Arts and is a talented ceramic artist with a history of receiving numerous awards. His works incorporate his own unique aesthetics and techniques while respecting tradition, and his numerous award-winning works represent the pinnacle of traditional Japanese craftsmanship. This "Blue and White Porcelain Firefly Sake Cup" is also a masterpiece brimming with that technique and aesthetics, a sake cup that will surely become a lifelong treasure that you will grow to cherish more and more over time.

The "Blue and White Porcelain Mizunohana Sake Cup" is a special sake cup that harmonizes the beauty of the Hotaru-de technique with the beauty of blue and white porcelain. Take this opportunity to pick up one of Ikura Kotaro's delicate and elegant works and enrich your daily drinking time.