Important notice about shipping:

This item will be shipped at free of charge via Japan Post (AIR Packet: 5~14 days). The package has the tracking capability and will be placed into your mail box or at your entrance. No signature is required. If you would prefer the Expedited Shipping via FedEx (FICP: 3~6 days) or Japan Post (EMS: 4~9 days), please message me. I will let you know the additional cost.

Notice to buyers in the USA: The shipping charge appeared on this listing is solely applicable import fees (e.g. tariff, customs clearance handling charge). You won’t pay anything extra after checkout.

For buyers in other countries: Import duties, taxes and any other charges that may occur in your country are not included in the item price or shipping charge.

Should you have any question, please message me. 

Description: 
This is a Shigaraki-ware(*) Sake cup. This was made by one of the most reputable contemporary Shigaraki-ware pottery artists Hide FUJIMOTO (1954 ~). This work is an extraordinarily well done among his works. I picked this up during my recent trip to his studio in Shigaraki. 

* Shigaraki-ware is a stoneware, which is made of a special clay (available only in Shigaraki) and fired at very high temperature (1,250~1,300 degrees Celsius). It does not use or apply any glaze before firing. The glaze is naturally formed in the kiln when certain conditions met from ash of red pine tree and feldspar / iron contained in the clay. Thus, it looks very natural and primitive. And not sure how it looks until it comes out from the kiln. Stoneware is still produced in Japan, because it is loved by the people who practice tea ceremony and Ikebana flower arrangement.

The work is called "SAKAZUKI" in Japanese meaning a cup to drink Sake. The Japanese character for it is "盃", which is drawn on the original wood box by Hide with his signature and seal. It is excellent to enjoy Sake in hot, room temperature as well as chilled. You may want to use in some other ways, that should be also wonderful.

From the photos, you would find the extraordinarily well-developed "typical features" of Shigaraki-ware in this Sakazuki. They are so called "Bi-Doro-Yu", "Ishi-Haze", and "Hi-Iro" in Japanese.

- "Bi-Doro-Yu": It is naturally developed green glaze (also called "kiln jewelry"). It naturally develops in the kiln under certain condition, when the "aplite" contained in Shigaraki-clay meets with enough "ash" included in burning fire of red-pine tree.   

- "Ishi-Haze": Meaning "Stone-Exploded". You can see several exploded small white stones on the Sakazuki. Aplite in the Shigaraki-clay exploded in the kiln. 

- "Hi-Iro": The red-brown color of this cup is unique to Shigaraki-ware. It naturally developed when Shigaraki-clay met with fire in the kiln under certain condition. It is called "Hi-Iro" in Japanese. "Hi" means "Fire" as well as "Scarlet". 

These naturally developed in his wood firing kiln, when certain conditions meet. Hope you enjoy them. 

The cup is brand new. As shown by the second photo, it came with the original wooden box. Hide signed and put his seal on the box (photo #1). He also engraved his mark or signature at the outside bottom of the base (photo #11 & 12).

Approximate Size & Weigh: Diameter: 6.5 ~ 7.1 cm / 2.6 ~ 2.8 in     Height: 4.7 cm / 1.9 in     Weight: 112 gr / 4.0 oz

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
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Combined shipping:
If you would like, we can combine shipping under certain conditions, e.g. purchases within 3 days. If you want combine shipping, add items you want to your card, and click "Request total" before you pay. The updated invoice with the new cost of shipping will be sent to you. 

Important notice to international buyers: 
- Import duties, taxes and any other charges that may occur in your country are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These are buyer's responsibility.
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