Title: Satsuma Ware, Ikegaki ni Kiku Zu Tokkuri
Description
This item is a set of Satsuma ware Tokkuri (徳利). Tokkuri is a sake bottle with a narrow neck and a bulging bottom. It is used to pour sake. There are various theories about the origin of the name Tokkuri. It is said that it got its name from the sound it makes when pouring sake. Tokkuris began to be used in the late Muromachi period. These were used to store and transport sake, soy sauce, etcetera. The shape of the sake bottle is a gourd with a bulging bottom. Because the gourd has a wide-open shape at the bottom, it is said to bring good luck and has the meaning of “bringing good luck” and “prosperity for descendants.” The trumpet-shaped design was created so you could hear the sound of pouring sake and feel its aroma.
This Tokkuri set is white color base Satsuma ware. Its pale cream-colored dish is brightly decorated with red and green. In addition, the gold coloring gives it a gorgeous look for this work. This type of Satsuma ware is made from white soil. And this raw material was extracted only in a minimal area in the territory of the Satsuma. Therefore, it was treated as a valuable item. If you look at the surface of this vase, you will find there are delicate cracks. It is called the Kan-Nyu (嵌入), and it was made because the contraction percentage is different between the soil and glaze. So, these minute cracks are not considered damage when we enjoy the Satsuma ware. People think of it as a characteristic flavor.
The principal motifs designed on these Tokkuris are the Kiku (菊, chrysanthemum) flowers. It depicts the beautiful appearance of chrysanthemums in full bloom, surrounded by a hedge. This plant has been familiar to people since ancient times. A long time ago, chrysanthemums were used as a medicine for obtaining a long life in the continent, and it was brought to Japan with this thought in the Nara period (648-781). The chrysanthemum symbolizes fall, and people have greatly appreciated it. The chrysanthemum has been likened to the sun as its petals form radially. That is why this flower pattern is treated as the symbol of perpetual youth and longevity or good health.
*As this item is an antique, please check each photo and ensure its condition.
What is Satsuma Yaki?
Satsuma Yaki (薩摩焼, Satsuma ware) is Japanese pottery made in Satsuma Province (Kagoshima Pref. today). From 1529 to 1598, the battle of Bunroku, Keichou (文禄・慶長の役) happened. It was the conflict between Japan and the Korean Peninsula. After this troop dispatch to the Korean Peninsula, Yoshihiro Shimazu, the 17th feudal lord of the Satsuma domain, brought back more than 80 Korean potters to Japan. They opened kilns in various parts into the Satsuma domain and made different pottery types depending on their locations or style of a potter. They were categorized into five styles: Naeshirogawa-Kei (苗代川系), Tateno-Kei (竪野系), Ryumonji-Kei (龍門司系), Nishimochida-Kei (西餅田系), Hirasa-Kei (平佐系). And all of them are called Satsuma Yaki.
Satsuma ware is classified as two groups based on the differences of each characteristic. There are Shiro-Satsuma (白薩摩) and Kuro-Satsuma (黒薩摩). Shiro-Satsuma is also called Shiromon (白もん). It is made of white clay and is carefully molded. And then, it is covered with a transparent glaze. Fine cracks are seen on the surface of the pottery. Usually, it is decorated with gorgeous designs with gold, red, green, purple, and yellow. Shiro-Satsuma was made for the domain so that the domain and the Shimazu family had it. Kuro-Satsuma is also known as Kuromon (黒もん). It has been appreciated as a daily household appliance for ordinary people in contrast to Shiromon. As it uses ferrous soil, Kuro-Satsuma has black color and has a simple and sturdy body.
Satsuma ware was exhibited in the 1867 Paris World Expo and regarded highly in Europe. Since then, Satsuma ware has been called “SATSUMA” and is loved in Japan and overseas.
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Samurai Museum is located in Tokyo, Japan, exhibiting antique artifacts related to the Samurai history. Samurai Museum Shop is the place for those who are interested in Japanese culture and craftsmanship. We deal with antique Samurai swords/armor, traditional crafts made in Japan and so on.
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