Vintage Arita porcelain kashibachi box with sometsuke decoration

This kashibachi box, designed to present sweets during the tea ceremony, is a piece of great delicacy. Brilliantly white and entirely covered with a regular pattern of sen-giku flowers made by hand using the sometsuke (cobalt) technique, it illustrates the purity and precision characteristic of Japanese Arita porcelain.

The technique and the decor

Made in Arita, Saga Prefecture, this piece is part of the Japanese porcelain tradition that began in the 17th century with the discovery of Izumiyama kaolin. The decoration is executed in sometsuke (blue), a cobalt paint applied under the transparent glaze before high-temperature firing. This process gives the blue its nuanced depth. The sen-giku motif represents stylized chrysanthemums with fine petals arranged in rays, a symbol of longevity and nobility in Japan. Between the flowers, light hazy areas of kasumi (mist) enliven the surface and soften the composition. This kashibachi is signed under its base and comes in a protective paulownia wood box on which the workshop seal is applied.

Practical information

Place
Japan (Arita, Saga Prefecture)

Dimensions
Diameter 13 cm Height 9.5 cm

Weight
690 g

Materials
Japanese porcelain

Period
Vintage, in very good condition, Shōwa period (1926-1989)

Care instructions
Handle with care. Wipe with a soft cloth. Not dishwasher, oven, or microwave safe.