Accessories: Box (unfinished paulownia wood) with slatted lid
Inscription on the underside of the lid
Dimensions
Height: 27.6 cm, Mouth diameter: 11.4–12.2 cm, Width: 12.6 cm, Base diameter: 12.1–12.5 cm, Weight: 2450 g
This Iga vase fulfills all the conventions of an Iga flower vase, yet lacks any outstanding distinctive features. First, the beveled rim, the use of the spatula to create the three-tiered neck ridges, the casual placement of the handles, the weighty texture of the lower section reminiscent of a tree’s roots, the intriguing interplay of beidoro and kasé on the front, the degree of charring from the waist down, and the reddish hue across the entire back—everything is so skillfully executed that the overall impression is somewhat diluted.
The inscription on the box is of unknown authorship, but it reads:
“There is a front and a back, but no male or female; therefore, Hongan-ji.”
Although the Hongan-ji sects are divided into Eastern and Western branches, the author likely used this analogy to convey that, to the faithful, the distinction is indistinguishable.
