Tenkei Kacho Plate 9-sun

Ceramics

Craft Company: Fukuju Touen

ORIGIN: Arita, Saga Prefecture
SIZE: φ270mm × H25mm
MATERIAL: Porcelain stone

Unfinished beauty

Flowers and butterflies motifs in the style of ancient blue and white porcelain lightly dance on the surface in the soft palette of Isubai glaze. Dotted on the edge is an effect called “mushikui (bug-eaten)”, which expresses the appearance of the glaze coming off. The depth of this porcelain plate is brought out by the sense of humor of the craftsman who found beauty in an unfinished expression.

Related Contents

Fukuju Touen

Ceramics

CRAFT COMPANY

VOL.26

READ

INSIGHT

Japanese Aesthetic Sense “Yo-no-bi, Beauty of Everyday Things”

Editor's Column “The Path of Japanese Crafts” Part1: Japanese Aesthetic Sense VOL.7

When discussing the aesthetics of Japanese craftsmanship, there are several essential aspects that cannot be overlooked. One of these is the concept of “Yo-no-bi.” Although commonly translated as “the beauty of everyday things,” the phrase literally means “the beauty of use,” and refers not only to the beauty of the crafts themselves, but also to a beauty inherent in their ...

RESOURCE

Mushikui (bug-eaten)
- Technique
Markings resembling glaze which has fallen off the rim of pottery. The word comes from its resemblance to a bug-eaten hole. It is also used as a technique to express a sense of antiquity in pottery making.
Isubai glaze
- Technique
A type of glaze made from the material which is obtained from the ash of burnt “isu” tree (Distylium racemosum). It has a higher content of lime and less iron. Used for Imari ware produced in the Edo period which is called “ko-imari”, it is characterized by its soft hues and smooth texture.
Ko-sometsuke
- Technique
Porcelain made in private kilns in Jingdezhen during the Tenkei period, in the late Ming Dynasty (first half of the 17th century). The shapes and patterns has a free and easy style compared to traditional Chinese porcelain.
Sometsuke (Blue and white porcelain)
- Technique
Decorating on biscuit under transparent glaze with a blue pigment. This pigment is known as zaffer or “gosu” in Japanese. It was first used in China in the 14th century and then spread around the world. In Japan, it was first introduced in Arita at the beginning of 17th century. The decoration methods can be broadly divided into two ways with each method using different brushes. One is drawing just the outline and the other is painting inside the outline which is called “dami” in Japanese. There are also other techniques such as “fukizumi” which creates pattern by spraying gosu on the surface resulting in a charming contrast of blue and white.

KOGEI STANDARD Japanese Crafts Online Media

New Products

Featured Exhibitions & Events

KOGEI Topics

Editor's Column “The Path of Japanese Crafts” Part2: Modern Society and Kogei

Exhibition • Event Report

Editor's Column "Craft Production Regions"

The Art of Appreciating Tea Bowls

Special Column “Toward the Revitalization of Wajima Lacquerware”

VOICE

KOGEI & Me

Editor's Column “The Path of Japanese Crafts” Part1: Japanese Aesthetic Sense

Editor's Note

KOGEI STANDARD
JAPANESE CRAFTS ONLINE MEDIA

InsightKogei Articles

Latest Articles

Mori Kougei Launched New Material Brand “TSUKIT”

“GO FOR KOGEI 2025” Will Be Held. This Year’s Theme Is “The Attributes of Kogei: How Can We Reframe Craft?”

The Exhibition “Blurred: Intersecting Boundaries” Fusing Traditional Techniques and Contemporary Art Will Be Held

“Time & Style New Products 2025” Time & Style Launched a New Collection in Japan

Exhibition Information

Lucie Rie: Elegant Vessels Fusing East and West

Blurred: Intersecting Boundaries

The 100th Anniversary of Mingei: Kyoto's Legacy of Everyday Life

Commemorating the Succession: Shinbei Sakakura XVI Exhibition

Articles by Series

New Products

Featured Exhibitions & Events

KOGEI Topics

Tenkei Kacho Plate 9-sun

Unfinished beauty

Chu-kai Tea Caddy

White Karatsu Four-sided Tea Bowl

Tanba Rakkyo Sake Flask

Moon Jar with Small Flowers

Fukuju Touen

Japanese Aesthetic Sense “Yo-no-bi, Beauty of Everyday Things”

KOGEI STANDARD JAPANESE CRAFTS ONLINE MEDIA

Latest Articles

Exhibition Information

Lucie Rie: Elegant Vessels Fusing East and West

Blurred: Intersecting Boundaries

The 100th Anniversary of Mingei: Kyoto's Legacy of Everyday Life

Commemorating the Succession: Shinbei Sakakura XVI Exhibition

Articles by Series

New Products

Featured Exhibitions & Events

KOGEI Topics

Unfinished beauty

Fukuju Touen

KOGEI STANDARD
JAPANESE CRAFTS ONLINE MEDIA