Hand-painted porcelain gaiwan by Kawai Masamitsu
Sazen Tea Original Product
Handmade and hand-painted porcelain gaiwan from Kawai Masamitsu. The picture on the gaiwan is from the "Chōjū-Giga", the oldest remaining manga. It is painted with deep purple, the color of nobility and virtue in Japan. This color was also associated with gods, the Emperor, and the highest-rank priests.
Chōjū-Giga, formally referred to as Chōjū-Jinbutsu-Giga literally means “Animal-person Caricatures". It is a set of four picture scrolls belonging to the Kōzan-ji temple located deep in the northern Kyoto mountains. It is an Important National Treasure believed to be painted around the 12-13 century.
The scrolls are telling stories in a linear drawing style, which we have to read from right-to-left. This reading direction is traditional in East Asia and is still common in Japan.
The gaiwan borrowed its scenes from the first scroll, which is also considered to be the most famous. This scroll illustrates anthropomorphic animals, rabbits, frogs, and monkeys bathing, playing, wrestling, and preparing for a ceremony. The scene on the lid depicts a frog and a rabbit carrying a “chatsubo”, a tea storage jar. Kyoto has a reputation for having long, scorching, and humid summers, so to preserve the freshness of the tea leaves, tea makers had a tradition to carry and keep the tea jars on the top of Mount Hiei, the iconic mountain of Northern Kyoto, famous of its cool breezes.
The drawing on the body is from a chasing scene, where a monkey is running with a branch stolen from a Buddhist ceremony, while the rabbit is chasing it, holding a long stick with a stunned frog behind, probably knocked over by the thief. The coaster is decorated with silver grass, a popular late-summer-autumn motive.
Place of origin: Shiga Pref., Japan
☆ WE GUARANTEE SAFE DELIVERY - if the product gets damaged in transit we will replace it or make a refund.
☆ HANDMADE PRODUCT - Please note that the item we have in stock might not be the same piece shown in the pictures above. Each piece is unique and slightly different from the others. If you are particular about either the size, the capacity, or the appearance, contact us, and we will share photos or the exact details of our available pieces in stock.
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Item code: TDK263
Artisan: Kawai Masamitsu
Origin: Japan
Material: porcelain
Capacity: 130 ml / 4.4 fl. oz (full capacity without tea leaves)
Dimensions: Φ 11 cm, H: 9.5 cm (body without lid: Φ 10.5 cm, H: 6 cm)
The customs duties do not belong to our competence. It may occur that duties have to be paid on receipt of the parcel. About the current rates of customs duties in your country please contact local authority. To learn about international shipping, read more here.
Goods will be dispatched within 5 business days after confirming the inventory of the product quantity you have ordered.
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Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us
Initiation:
Before first use, rinse it with hot water, then let it dry completely!
Usage:
Avoid placing it on hot surfaces, like a stove, and never use it in a microwave or oven.
Cleaning:
If you prefer to avoid tea stains, rinse the gaiwan well after every use. Use gentle, organic soap to clean your gaiwan, but never bleach!
Storage:
After use, always let it dry completely, for if stored away while still wet, it might develop an unpleasant smell or mold.