Daimeibutsu
Accessories: Hikiya, protective cover
Yahazu tray by Moriami
Accompanying letter: From Sen no Rikyū to Kan’hiko
Listed in: Kokin Meibutsu Ruiju
Dimensions
Height: 23.9 cm, Mouth diameter: 2.1 cm, Body diameter: 7.7 cm, Base diameter: 3.3 cm, Weight: 370 g
Owner: Fujita Art Museum, Osaka
Although it is likely a genuine Chinese import, it is very much to the taste of tea masters. The material appears to be sand-coated copper, though it could also be gold-plated copper.
The inscription “Kakuki” is an archaic term derived from the fact that arrowheads are called “kakuki”; here, the shape of this flower vase when inverted is likened to an arrowhead.
Unlike “Tsuru Ichisei,” this piece shows absolutely no Japanese sensibility. It has a continental, soup-bowl-like shape and is unmistakably Chinese in character.
It was passed down through the Sakai family of Wakasa Province. In June 1923, it was acquired by the Fujita family at an auction held by the family for 98,000 yen and is currently housed at the Fujita Art Museum.
