{"product_id":"japanese-teapot-suigetsu-iii-banko-yaki-kyusu-teapot-sakura-and-maple-with-real-gold-accents","title":"Banko-yaki Teapot - Suigetsu III - Sakura and Maple with Real Gold Accents -350ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eA garden in full bloom, carried on a single teapot. Across the deep black clay of this Suigetsu kyusu, cherry blossoms and maple leaves scatter edge to edge in soft, graduated tones, with a few blossoms picked out in real gold so the eye keeps finding something new. The bloom of spring and the leaves of autumn share the same surface, a quiet meditation on the passing seasons and the Japanese love of beauty in impermanence, and as you turn the pot the pattern shifts and the gold catches the light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe decoration is not printed. The sakura and momiji are sandblasted directly into the clay, the surface worked at different depths to draw out its natural range of tones, so the blossoms feel raised and tactile against the dark ground. A small number of accent blooms are finished in real gold, applied and fired to endure.\u003cbr\u003eBeneath the artistry it is a serious tea tool. Thrown from iron-rich Banko shidei clay and fitted with a built-in ceramic strainer, the kyusu pours cleanly from its tapered spout, while the side handle sits naturally in the hand for smooth, controlled one-handed pouring, ideal for fine Japanese green tea such as sencha and gyokuro. The shidei clay is prized for gently softening the astringency of green tea, for a rounder, sweeter cup.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA piece made to be used and admired in equal measure, a centerpiece for the tea table and a small work of art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout the artist: This kyusu is the work of Suigetsu III, the third-generation master Shimizu Hiroshi (born 1944), kiln head of Suigetsu Toen, the celebrated Banko-ware pottery founded in 1900 in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, and devoted to the kyusu for over a century. Hiroshi is renowned for his sandblasting technique: by scraping the iron-rich clay at different depths he draws out distinct tones, carving and detailing the design before the gold accents are applied and fired. The result is delicate, elegant, and unmistakably his own. A holder of Yokkaichi City Intangible Cultural Property for Banko shidei kyusu and a recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Japanese government, Hiroshi is among the most decorated living masters of Banko ware.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAwards and recognition:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolder of Yokkaichi City Designated Intangible Cultural Property \u003cbr\u003eRecipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Silver Rays (Zuiho Tanko-sho), conferred by the Japanese government in 2021\u003cbr\u003eCertified Traditional Craftsman (Dento Kogeishi) and full member of the Japan Kogei Association (Tokai branch)\u003cbr\u003eRecipient of the Mie Prefecture Cultural Award and the Yokkaichi City Distinguished Service Awards for Culture and for Industry\u003cbr\u003eWorks presented to the Japanese Imperial family\u003cbr\u003eThird-generation master of the historic Suigetsu Toen kiln, a name central to Yokkaichi Banko-yaki\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDETAILS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDetails:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtist: Suigetsu III\u003cbr\u003eOrigin: Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, Japan\u003cbr\u003eWare: Banko-yaki (dark iron-rich clay)\u003cbr\u003eTechnique: Signature sandblasted technique with all-over sakura and maple motif with real-gold accent blossoms\u003cbr\u003eIncludes: Original signed wooden box (tomobako) and documentation\u003cbr\u003eCapacity: approx. 360ml\u003cbr\u003eCare: hand-wash with water only, no soap, and wipe gently.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Artisanal Japan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45150046978163,"sku":null,"price":830.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0701\/2286\/4755\/files\/suigetsusakuragscopyforwebsite.png?v=1783055339","url":"https:\/\/artisanaljapan.com\/products\/japanese-teapot-suigetsu-iii-banko-yaki-kyusu-teapot-sakura-and-maple-with-real-gold-accents","provider":"Artisanal Japan","version":"1.0","type":"link"}