superstar
national treasures
Attachment
Box, black lacquer, blue shell, zelkova, Shunkei lacquer, calligraphy, pasteboard
Cloth, gold-ground, double vine, old gold column, white ground, large arabesque pattern, junko
Tenmokudai, Amagasaki-dai
Traditions of
Yanagiei Gomotsu – Inaba Family, Lord of Yodo Castle – Ono Family – Iwasaki Family
Listed in the following items
Manji 3-nen Ban Ganmono Meibutsu Koukin Meibutsu Ruiju Meibutsu Meri Mensho Honya Ryouun Shuushinroku Gozozosho Jin’o Kakei Tsuzuki Gunsho Ruishu Honkuntaikan Yozen Choki National Museum Honkuntaikan Yozen Choki Sankyoan Zuishu Merisusa Matsuya Shuisho Tsuda Munenori Nikki Imai Munehisa Nikki
Dimensions
Height: 7.0 cm, Bore: 12.1 cm, Base diameter: 3.9 cm, Height: 0.5 cm, Weight: 280 g
Collection
Tokyo Seikado
The “Kimidai Kangenjyochoki,” which is also called the “Kaguracho” of the Ashikaga shoguns’ household in Higashiyama, lists several ranks of tenmoku, a representative type of tea bowls of the time. The first of these was the Yohhen Tenmoku, the king of tea bowls, so to speak. As stated in the same book, “There is no other teacup in the world,” it can only be produced under extremely special firing conditions, so there have been very few of them for a long time, and there are only four surviving pieces in Japan. Among the four, this Inaba is the one with the most remarkable Yohhen phenomenon, and should truly be called the highest peak of tea bowls.
The base material is fine-grained, and the clay around the plateau has a dark grayish-brown color. The shape is the most orthodox kenkoshi-shape, and the fact that it was made with the utmost care can be seen in the extremely neatly carved plateau. The glaze is applied thickly and generously both inside and outside, resulting in a jet-black color. The various sizes of obsidian that emerge on the surface, especially on the interior, can be likened to nebulae on an autumn night. It is a superlative masterpiece that should be considered a world treasure. For more information on the technique of yohen, please refer to the review.
