Height: 6.4 cm; Mouth Diameter: 12.9–13.6 cm; Foot Diameter: 5.1 cm
On the underside of the inner box lid, Kakukaku-sai (signature) has written and affixed the inscription: “Flat Tea Bowl, Saiko, Kakukaku-sai.” This is a masterpiece representative of Ichinyu’s black-and-red-glazed tea bowls, and the vividness of its glaze is exceptional. Although it is a flat tea bowl, the unique artistic style is fully evident in the rim, the body, and the foot rim, making it truly worthy of being called a quintessential work of Ichinyu.
The rim, which curves slightly inward, shows a subtle undulation, and the body is slightly tapered. The form from the waist to the footring also exhibits the gentle roundness characteristic of Ichinyu. The circular footring is compact and well-defined relative to the size of the base; a swirl-shaped pattern has been carved into the interior of the footring, and three tool marks remain on the base. The interior is spacious, with a shallow tea pool at the center. The glaze is applied uniformly; vivid vermilion spots emerge within the well-fused jet-black glaze, and the vermilion glaze is dense on the upper part of the body both inside and out, fading to a lighter shade toward the rim. The name of this generously proportioned flat tea bowl was likely inspired by the famous Chinese scenic spot, West Lake.
