A great specialty. Made by Han, with eggplant tea. The origin of the name is unknown. It is mentioned in the “Diary of Sosho Tsuda and the Tea Ceremony” in the 19th year of the Tenbun (1550), which indicates that the name had already existed at that time. The luster of the purple and black glaze intermingled with each other is beautiful, and the change of scenery is very interesting. There is a fire chamber a little lower down from the body. Around the 19th year of the Tenbun period, it was in the possession of Matsumoto Sofu. When Aburaya Tsunekotsu donated the Aburaya hijashu, he was given this Kitano eggplant and 300 kan of torimoku as a gift in exchange. The eggplants were later passed down to Myokokuji Temple in Sakai (founded by Tsunen’s son), and the fifth generation of the temple was named Myokokuji Temple.
Later, after Muneyoshi’s death, Okudaira Tozaemon, a samurai of the Iyo-Matsuyama domain, bought it from Kurobei for 1,100 ryo ($1,100) and presented it to feudal lord Matsudaira Oki no Mamoru Sadanao.
In December 1720 (Kyoho 5), Sadanao’s son Sadakyo presented it to the Tokugawa shogunate as a gift for his successor.
(Tsuda Munenori Chayu Nikki, Taisho Meikikan, Sakai City History)
