- Type
- Shino
- Details
- A vessel for enjoying sake. A blackish-green band circles the white, like the shadow a hearth fire casts on shoji. Shino tokkuri (sake flask), for sake warm or chilled.
- Materials
- Mogusa clay (rare clay)
- Size
- φ100mm
- Height
- 145 mm
- Weight
- 370g
- Texture
- Smooth overall, with a warmth that seems to cling to the hand. Along the band the glaze is hard and glossy; away from it, the soft rise and fall of the white glaze comes through to the fingers. The faint ridges of the faces rest lightly against the palm.
Features of this piece
A band of deep, blackish green circles the shoulder of this white Shino tokkuri (sake flask). It reads like the shadow an irori hearth fire throws on a white shoji screen at night. The band swells and narrows as it goes, and here and there the green deepens to a glassy shine. Lower down, a wide flush of fire color spreads across the white, like firelight reaching through the paper.
The mouth opens wide, the neck is slender, and one small shadow rests on the rim. Below the neck the body fills out gently, and several soft ridges run down its faces, so the sheen of the white shifts with the light. It sits comfortably in one hand, and each time you pour, the band seems to turn in your palm.
It suits sake warm or chilled, and the soft Shino surface receives the drink gently. Tilting this flask on a quiet night is like watching a fire through shoji: shadow and light both move slowly. For a drink alone, or set before a guest.
Expected to ship within 10 business days from the date of order
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Shino
The moment of change
Shino is an elusive vessel that was created for only a brief period in the tea world over 450 years ago. It was fired in large kilns and anagama kilns from the late 16th century to the early 17th century. The charm of Shino lies in its characteristic appearance of a snow-white surface, created by using feldspar, with a subtle, warm fire color visible within it. Bringing out this beautiful color is extremely difficult due to the need for strong reduction firing, where the kiln temperature does not easily rise, necessitating constant temperature adjustments day and night. The kiln firing lasts for more than seven days, conducted under extremely harsh conditions, requiring careful attention. The outcome varies significantly with the seasons and climate, demanding a level of delicacy that allows for no moment of inattention. The color of Shino leaves an impression like "the soil seen after the snow melts" or "a beautiful sunset formed by clouds and the setting sun." Capturing and expressing the fleeting natural beauty without any preconceived ideas or intentions, Shino continues to captivate people's hearts, both now and in the past.
Sake Vessels of Shino: Opening the Flavor
Sake drunk from Shino is said to open up in flavor. Just as wine is decanted, sake too, once it meets the air, gains in aroma, finds its balance, and shows its sweetness. Beneath the glaze, a Shino vessel keeps the soft skin of the clay. Sake poured into it touches that skin and opens slowly, as if the vessel were breathing. A cup poured while looking at the fire-red and milky white seems to show a slightly different face, even with the same sake. With a Shino sake vessel by Kato Takaya, an evening drink alone, taken slowly.
Suitable for
Care
Please wash by hand using a soft sponge or cloth when cleaning. Please refrain from using abrasive sponges for cleaning.
Please note
