Height 10.8 cm, mouth diameter 6.4 cm, bottom diameter 5.7 cm
Among the kojiko copy works made by master craftsmen of kyoyaki ware at the end of the Edo period, Kigome’s work best reflects the style of the original poem in its softly fired clay, molded floating patterns, lightness of hand, and color scheme of the colored glaze, but the shape of the vessel and composition of the patterns were created by Kigome.
Among Kigome’s kojiki kyusu, this piece is outstanding for its well-defined shape, interesting design of flying phoenix patterns, and vivid colors of purple, yellow, and green overglaze painting. The lid is decorated with a five-petaled flower design in relief at the end of the strap, a phoenix design on the front of the lid, and a flying phoenix design on two sides and a cloud and grass design in between on the body. The body is decorated with flying phoenixes on two sides and cloud and grass patterns in between. The body is made of soft clay with a fine white clay body, and the lower part of the body and the back of the lid are made of exposed clay. It is housed in a kyobako (gift box), and the front of the lid is inscribed with the inscription, “Unchu Mon kyusu Hyakuroku Sansanjinmai,” which translates to “Made by a skilled craftsman. It is true that there are few pieces as good as this one, and it is no wonder that Kibe himself wrote on the box that this piece was made by “Tokyu no Seisaku.
