A set of a tokkuri (sake flask) and guinomi painted with red and white plum blossoms.

“Ninsei of Kyoto, Utsutsugawa of the West”
“Ninsei of Kyoto, Utsutsugawa of the West.” Utsutsugawa ware, known as a phantom ware, had long been without a successor since the end of the Edo period. The 12th-generation Yokoishi Gagyu set out to revive the traditional technique called hakeme (brush-stroke), worked across a dark brown porcelain surface with an atmosphere all its own, and through his efforts the ware was brought back to life.

Sea and Grassland in Hakeme
The feeling of a vast sea or grassland drawn in hakeme — the hallmark of Utsutsugawa ware, designated an Intangible Cultural Property of Nagasaki Prefecture — is beautifully expressed in this Japanese sake set, where red and white plum blossoms are in full bloom.

About Arita Ware
Arita 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.

Why a Paulownia Box
Paulownia 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.

Contents and Dimensions
Tokkuri (sake flask) × 1, Sake cup × 2, paulownia box, booklet.
Tokkuri: / Height: 11cm / Diameter: 6.5cm / Weight: 170g / Sake cup: / Height: 4.2cm
As each piece is handmade, slight variations in size may occur.