Guinomi Guinomi Made of Karatsu Ware with Cherry Blossom Decor

Restrained yet vivid, this guinomi made of Karatsu ware shows a rough-textured, brownish-gray outer wall with large inlaid cherry blossoms (sakura) in white and ochre, and a bluish-green crackle glaze inside. The slightly irregular, hand-formed wall with its organic rim makes each piece of this sake cup a unique work in its own right.

Karatsu ware is among the oldest ceramic traditions of Kyūshū and is closely tied to tea culture – its plain, unassuming aesthetic has for centuries been regarded as the epitome of the wabi-sabi ideal. It is precisely the apparent restraint of the form that constitutes the appeal of these cups for connoisseurs. This guinomi is delivered in a wooden box whose lid bears the signature 潤作 ("made by Jun") with a seal; a sheet with the potter's career is enclosed. As a handcrafted unique work, it is a stylish companion for the enjoyment of sake and, at the same time, a fine collector's piece of Japanese ceramic art.