Description
Tsutsumi-yaki Yunomi, Tea Cups; by the Kenba Kiln in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Two same-sized cups available which can be purchased singly ($45 each) or in a pair ($85 - refund issued). White glaze with copper green lip and shoulder. Ridged throwing marks circulate down the interior. The foot is unglazed. H. 3"(7.75cm) x Dia. 3"(7.75cm). Weight 163 grams. Volume 230ml (7.75 oz).
Tsutsumi-yaki pottery has been highly regarded in the Sendai region since the late 1600's. Tsutsumi-cho was a district of the current Sendai City, then known as Sendai Han (Sendai Domain) or Date Han (the domain of the region's famous samurai lord Date Masamune). Lower-ranking foot soldiers were charged with pottery production for the domain. Initially it was for tea ceremony wares for the feudal lords, but production eventually included daily use items for commoners. A well-known product that can still be seen in front of older Sendai homes and in public places are the larger water jars with Namako (black with white glaze runs around the shoulders) glaze. At the height of production, there were some 30 kilns in operation. Today, only the Kenba Kiln remains as the sole producer of Tsutsumi-yaki with over 300 years of history and pride embedded into their pottery.
My mother hails from Sendai, and I've long considered it a second home. As a descendant of the region, I'm proud to offer and share Tsutsumi-yaki pottery to those outside of the region.