A great masterpiece. A tea caddy by Han. It was originally called “Karasuma kagatatsuki” because it was handed down in the Karasuma Dainagon family, but it received the name “Kitano kagatatsuki” when it caught the eye of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Kitano Grand Tea Ceremony in 1587. It was made in the same period, hand, and glaze as Matsuyama and Kuga, and the clarity of its scenery is very similar to that of Hatsuka. It is considered to be the best of all the tea containers made by Han. Originally owned by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, it passed through Miyoshi Sosan and Tsuda Munenori to the Karasuma Dainagon family, and was given to Miki Gontayu for 10,000 ryo during the reign of Karasuma Shikei, and then to Mitsui Hachiroemon in Kyoto. In 1855, Tadayoshi Sakai, the chief priest in Kyoto, received it from Soroku Mitsui, and it has remained in the Mitsui family ever since. (Matsuya’s Writing, “Seto Pottery Rabinokuchi,” “Taisho Meikikan,” Taisho Meikikan)
