{"product_id":"4819","title":"Chaire (Tea Caddy) \"Tortoiseshell Tenmoku\" - Shinemon Kiln, Arita Ware","description":"\u003cp\u003eA great cosmos in the palm: a Tortoiseshell Tenmoku chaire (tea caddy) by Shinemon II — the “king of tea utensils”, standing at the summit of history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe King of Tea Utensils\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe chaire is said to be the “king of tea utensils”, once sought by the warlords of the Warring States period in place of grants of land. Bearing that historical authority, this Tortoiseshell Tenmoku chaire may be called a living philosophy, distilling the ceramic art of Shinemon II, an associate member (\u003cem\u003ekaiyu\u003c\/em\u003e) of the Nitten (Japan’s largest art exhibition).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Lost Technique, Re-created\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe complex, deep expression spreading across the surface re-creates Tortoiseshell Tenmoku — a lost technique with its origins in the Southern Song dynasty of China 800 years ago — through Shinemon’s own secret methods. No two are ever alike: mysterious patterns rise to the surface, like a cosmos held in the hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHard, Yet Smooth as Silk\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFormed from the finest pottery stone and fired hard in a 1,300°C flame, the porcelain surface is firm yet as smooth as silk, conveying stillness to the fingertips. Its form, sitting snugly in the hand, embodies the ultimate “beauty of use” (\u003cem\u003eyo no bi\u003c\/em\u003e).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Sanctuary of Your Own\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe deep gradation of amber and black, and a tortoiseshell lustre that seems to draw you in, cleanse the weariness of daily life each time you gaze upon it and lead you beyond the everyday. The quiet time spent facing this “cosmos on the palm” over tea brings a spiritual richness that nothing can replace — a sanctuary that is yours alone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Arita Ware\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eArita ware is the origin of Japanese porcelain. In 1616, under the rule of the Saga domain lord Naoshige Nabeshima, pottery stone was found in what is now Saga Prefecture and production began. Because the wares were made in Arita and shipped from the port of Imari, they are also known as Imari ware. Carried to Europe by the Dutch East India Company — the only trading partner permitted during Japan’s period of national seclusion — the porcelain was called “white gold” and furnished the courts of royalty and nobility.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat Is Tenmoku?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eTenmoku\u003c\/em\u003e is a family of dark iron glazes that came to Japan from China and has been prized in the tea world for centuries. \u003cem\u003eYuteki tenmoku\u003c\/em\u003e — oil-spot tenmoku — takes its name from the crystals that surface during firing and scatter across the black glaze like drops of oil on water. Several such bowls are designated National Treasures of Japan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy a Paulownia Box\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePaulownia wood is light, resists moisture and insects, and moves with changes in humidity — which is why it has been used in Japan for centuries to store what is valuable. A piece delivered in a paulownia box arrives ready to give, and the box itself is part of the gift.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContents and Dimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChaire (tea caddy) × 1, paulownia box, booklet.\u003cbr\u003eHeight: 7.2cm, Diameter: 6.3cm \/ Lid diameter: 3.9cm, Foot diameter: 4.1cm \/ Body: 116g, With box: 210g\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eAs each piece is handmade, slight variations in size may occur.\u003c\/em\u003e","brand":"Shinemon Kiln","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54711589634323,"sku":"4819","price":205400.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0797\/4227\/1763\/files\/4819_08_1200.jpg?v=1789453835","url":"https:\/\/www.jtopia.com\/products\/4819","provider":"JTOPIA global","version":"1.0","type":"link"}