Exhibitions and Events for the Year 2017

We cannot believe that the first month of this New Year is almost over!  

We will continue to strive this year to introduce you many wonderful ceramics by artists in Japan. 

Please look forward to the following exhibitions and events we will be hosting at our store this year. 

April:  Vessels for Tea Time

June:  Momoko Otani and Kotomi Daigo Exhibition

July:  Taira Kuroki and Shiho Takada Exhibition

October:  Cups for Soba Noodles

December:  Akira Yamada and Fuminari Araga Exhibition

This year, we will be having three exciting exhibitions, and two events that will be displaying items made by various ceramic artists.  For the first event of the year, “Vessels for Tea time”, we will be offering tea cups, mugs, and tea pots for tea time (or coffee time) made by many different artists.

We hope you come visit us at our store in Shibuya.   We will be announcing the details of our events on this blog, instagram, and facebook, so please check them for updates and announcements.   

https://www.instagram.com/utsuwamarukaku/

https://www.facebook.com/utsuwamarukaku/

Sake Vessels for the Holiday Season

The end of the year and new years is one of the biggest opportunities for Japanese to drink sake.  At the end of the year, Japanese drink sake in a get together called “bonenkai”, literally translated, a meeting to forget the year, to appreciate the hard work done for the year, and forget the troubles of the past year to look forward to a new year.  Then, on the new years, they drink sake to celebrate the new year.  “Otoso”, a drink taken in the morning of the new year in hopes for a longevity, is believed to purify the body and prevent illness for the year. 

 So, our store had our talented ceramic artist specially make sake vessels for this holiday season!  The following are some of the many beautiful pieces we received at the end of last year. 

This is a photo of a sake pourer and a cup from the white porcelain series by Taira Kuroki, a Kyoto prefecture artist known for delicately made, elegant pieces. 

Kuroki-san also sent us a new series called “Yohen Ao”, literally translated, kiln strange.  The dazzling color variation is created during the firing process. These are stunning pieces that we recommend seeing in person. 

We now have sake vessels by Shiho Takada from the ash crazings series, titanium glaze series, and iron glaze series, three highly sought after series. 

Fuminari Araga-san’s “Kohiki” pieces, white-slip ceramics, are a beauty of simple, yet refined form. 

Kotomi Daigo-san is an artist known for her bronze glaze series, but she sent us a strikingly modern pourer from the new high-fired unglazed series, which we just fell in love.  

Taro Sugimoto-san’s roundish pourer gives off a warm impression and is perfect for drinking sake on a cold winter day.  

Another charming piece by Sugimoto-san.  The circle pattern continues on the inside. 

Lastly, Akira Yamada-san’s gorgeous sake vessels that matches perfectly in the celebratory occasions. 

Please pop by our store to see other wonderful sake vessels by various skilled artists!