Front view of a Ryumonji Yaki black glaze sake set, showing a rounded tokkuri with a teal glaze band across the shoulder alongside 2 guinomi with the same teal band across the body and unglazed clay feet.

Ryumonji Yaki Pottery Sake Set Black Glaze

RYUMONJI-YAKI POTTERY

Ryumonji Yaki Pottery Sake Set Black Glaze

Name: Ryumonji Yaki Pottery Sake Set Black Glaze
Brand: RYUMONJI-YAKI POTTERY
SKU: rmj010010101
Price: 269.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$269.00

The tokkuri (sake carafe) is one of the more considered objects in Japanese ceramic tradition — a vessel whose weight, surface, and pour all register in the hand during use. In Ryumonji's kuro glaze, the iron-rich Black Satsuma clay and the black glaze collected from the same Kagoshima mountains fire together into a surface that is dense and deeply reflective, the color varying between near-black and dark brown depending on the light. The kiln was established in 1688 and still processes all its materials locally — a continuity that shows in the glaze's depth, which differs from surfaces produced with commercially mixed materials. On the tokkuri and 2 guinomi (small sake cup) in this set, teal accumulates as a distinct horizontal band across the body of each piece, the secondary glaze pooling where the two materials meet during firing. The band falls at a different position and with a different weight on every piece. The foot of each guinomi is left unglazed, the dark clay visible at the base.

Details

Carafe Size: Approx. D 3.9in x H 4.7in / D 10.0cm x H 12.0cm
Cup Size: Approx. D 2.4in x H 1.6in / D 6.0cm x H 4.0cm
Capacity: Approx. 270ml / 9.1oz

Please note that as handcrafted pieces, slight variations in size may occur. Colors and patterns may vary from piece to piece depending on the temperature and location of the kiln during production.

Care & Use

Due to the nature of the clay, this vessel cannot be placed directly over a flame or submerged in boiling water
For warm sake, heat the sake separately before transferring it into the vessel for serving
Hand wash only with mild soap and lukewarm water; avoid metal scrubs or abrasive detergents
Do not place in a microwave or conventional oven
Avoid sudden temperature changes, as these can cause cracking
Allow to dry fully before storing to prevent moisture retention within the clay body
Store in a safe, stable location away from edges to avoid accidental damage
Handle with care; ceramic is fragile and susceptible to chipping or cracking if dropped

Check our tips for Care Information.

Ryumonji Yaki Pottery Sake Set Black Glaze

$269.00

Meet the Artisan

RYUMONJI-YAKI POTTERY

Ryumonji ware was established in 1688 when Yamamoto Wan'emon, grandson of the Korean-born potter Hochin, discovered suitable raw materials in Kajiki, in what is now Aira City, Kagoshima Prefecture, and built a kiln there. The settlement that grew around it came to be known as the Chawan-ya hamlet, a community organized around the making and passing down of ceramic knowledge. Over more than 300 years, the kiln produced everyday vessels for ordinary life and gave rise to a succession of accomplished craftsmen, among them Kawahara Yoshiku. In 1948, the potters reorganized the existing shared-kiln structure into a formal cooperative, the foundation of today's Ryumonji Ware Pottery Union. The Union manages the full process from raw material gathering through to sales, a model rare in Japan and central to how the tradition has survived intact. Potters still go into the mountains within 3 kilometers of the kiln to collect the clays, stones, shirasu, rice-hull ash, and hearth ash that compose the glazes. Everything is refined on site. The kiln is currently led by Kawahara Shiro, a certified Contemporary Master Craftsperson, alongside his son Ryohei and fellow Union members. Work is fired in an ascending kiln at up to 1,250 degrees Celsius, the same method used throughout the Edo period and essential to developing the textured surfaces that define Ryumonji ware.