Sake cup with moon-white glaze and silver glaze by Matsubayashi Hosai

Width: 6.0cm Height: 5.0cm

Silver glaze is applied to bring out the beauty of the Tsukishiro glaze.
Ginzai is usually a technique that is applied on top of a glaze, but by applying it directly on the base, the silver soaks into the clay, creating a unique texture that combines a metallic luster with a matte finish.
The silver starts out as a whitish silver, but as time passes it turns yellowish and finally turns a dark, tarnished silver color, allowing you to enjoy the changes that occur over time.

The aesthetic sense of the Rinpa school lives on in this elegant sake cup

Matsubayashi Hosai's "Shuten Tsukishiroyu Nagashi Ginsai" is a work that beautifully combines elegance and sculptural beauty. The silver glaze is applied as a delicate accent, giving the whole piece a tranquil and refined shine. The faint luster of this silver glaze is reminiscent of Ogata Korin's Rinpa school, giving the whole Shuten a calm, gorgeous and elegant appearance. The Rinpa school's aesthetic sense of "simplicity and decorativeness" is skillfully expressed, making the viewer feel the deep history and tranquil beauty of Japanese art.

Fantastic landscapes depicted by the moon-white glaze

The most distinctive feature of this piece is the Gekkishiro glaze, which has a beautiful pale bluish color and creates a fantastical atmosphere reminiscent of moonlight shining into the night sky. The smooth, transparent texture of the Gekkishiro glaze gives the entire piece a cool impression, and it is enveloped in a sense of tranquility that makes you feel like you could look at it forever. Furthermore, the unique patterns created by the naturally flowing glaze give the piece a sense of change and movement like a landscape painting, soothing the viewer's heart.

Exquisite accents brought by silver glaze

The silver glaze applied to this sake cup goes beyond mere decoration, giving the piece a delicate sense of dynamism. The soft luster of the silver glaze brings out the pale blue of the tsukishiro glaze, and acts as a visual accent while maintaining the overall harmony. Its modest yet definite presence reflects the "decorativeness and aesthetic unity" seen in Rinpa art, lending the piece a sophisticated yet noble air.

A fusion of practicality and sculptural beauty

The "Sake Cup Tsukishiroyu Nagashi Ginsai" has an elegant and sophisticated design, yet is also easy to use as an everyday vessel. When you actually hold it in your hand, you can feel its comfortable grip and natural feel on your mouth. The combination of the sculptural chamfering, silver glaze, and Tsukishiroyu glaze perfectly harmonizes visual beauty and practicality, and you can appreciate the unique texture and beauty of the form every time you pick it up.

"Kirei Sabi" and the Breath of Tea Culture

This piece is imbued with the unique sensibility of Matsubayashi Hosai, who inherited the traditions of Asahi ware while adding a modern twist to it. The aesthetic sense of "kirei sabi" (beautiful sabi) that underlies Asahi ware was born from Kobori Enshu's tea ceremony culture, and embodies the traditional Japanese beauty of a refined splendor hidden within serenity. This deep spirituality is conveyed to the present day through this piece, which is highly regarded not only as a tea ceremony utensil but also as an art and craft item.

Beauty nurtured by Asahiyaki and the history of Uji

Asahiyaki is a pottery manufacturer with over 400 years of history in Uji, and their Shuten "Tsukishiroyu Ryushi Ginsai" is imprinted with this long tradition and historical background. Uji flourished as a villa destination for aristocrats during the Heian period, and is featured in Murasaki Shikibu's "The Tale of Genji." The area has produced high-quality clay since ancient times, and has deep ties to the culture of the tea ceremony. Asahiyaki, which received instruction from Kobori Enshu during the Keicho period, has continued to produce pottery centered on tea utensils with "kirei sabi" at their core. That spirit is still passed down to the present day in the works of Matsubayashi Hosai.

Tradition and Innovation of the 16th Matsubayashi Hosai

Matsubayashi Hosai, who took the name of the 16th Asahiyaki Hosai in 2016, creates works that incorporate modern sensibilities while preserving the traditional Asahiyaki techniques and aesthetic sense. He has been active overseas, exhibiting and holding tea ceremonies at the Leach Kiln in St. Ives, England, and the Guimet Museum in France, and his works have been highly praised around the world. The Shuten Tsukishiroyu Nagashi Ginsai is a masterpiece by Hosai, and the pure luster of the silver glaze, the fantastic blue of the Tsukishiroyu glaze, and the sculptural form are in perfect harmony, making it a special piece that combines the history of Asahiyaki over 400 years with a new sense. You will be able to spend a rich time feeling the taste that deepens the more you use it, and the history and aesthetic sense behind it.

16th Matsubayashi Hosai

In 2016, he assumed the name of the 16th Asahi-yaki master Hosai. Based on the aesthetic sense of "kirei sabi" (beautiful sabi) that underpins Asahi-yaki, the tea master Enshu Kobori, he creates tea utensils such as tea bowls, tea caddies, water jars, and flower vases, as well as the traditional Asahi-yaki deer-back and red deer-back vases, in the style of the 16th master, Tsukishiro-yu-ryushi, which has a modern atmosphere. He is active in presenting his works overseas, hosting tea ceremonies, and holding workshops to spread the culture of tea. He has experience in staying and presenting his works at the Leach Kiln in St. Ives, England, and exhibiting his works and hosting tea ceremonies at the Guimet Museum of Asian Art in Paris, France. In 2017, he held a commemorative exhibition to commemorate his succession at Takashimaya Kyoto and Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store.

A conversation with Matsubayashi Hosai – Pottery specialty store [Amagi-do]