Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga Gaiwan
Handmade and hand painted lidded porcelain bowl
Sazen Tea Original Products
Porcelain Gaiwan by Master Masamitsu Kawai artist.
This unique gaiwan is not only a handmade porcelain, but it is also hand painted with scenes of the oldest remaining manga drawings (Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga - “Scrolls of Frolicking Animals”) painted by an artist from Kyoto.
The brush lines have deep purple color, which rare as it is, accentuates the gaiwan’s elegance. Purple is the color of nobility and virtue in Japan, in old times it was associated with gods, the emperor and the highest rank priests.
Chōjū-giga, formally referred to as Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga literally means “Animal-person Caricatures.” It is a famous set of four picture scrolls belonging to Kōzan-ji temple located deep in the northern Kyoto mountains. It is an important national treasure believed to be painted between the 12-13 century.
The scrolls are telling stories in a linear drawing style, which we have to read from right-to-left. This reading direction is traditional in East Asia and is still common in Japan.
The gaiwan borrowed its scenes from the first scroll, which is also considered to be the most famous. This scroll illustrates anthropomorphic animals, rabbits, frogs and monkeys bathing, playing, wrestling and preparing for a ceremony. The scene on the lid depicts a frog and a rabbit carrying a “chatsubo”, tea storage jar. Kyoto has a reputation of having long, scorching and humid summers, so to preserve the freshness of the tea leaves, tea makers had a tradition to carry and keep the tea jars on the top of Mount Hiei, the iconic mountain of Norther Kyoto, famous of its cool breezes.
The drawing on the body is from a chasing scene, where a monkey is running with a branch stolen from a buddhist ceremony, while the rabbit is chasing it, holding a long stick with an stunned frog behind, probably knocked over by the thief. The coaster is decorated with silver grass, a popular late-summer - autumn motive.
Place of origin: Shiga Pref., Japan
☆ WE GUARANTEE SAFE DELIVERY - if the product gets damaged in transit we will replace or make a refund.
☆ HANDMADE PRODUCT - Please note that the item we have in stock might not be the same piece shown on the pictures above. Each piece is unique and slightly different from each other. If you are particular about either the size, the capacity or the appearance, contact us, and we will share photos or the exact details of our available pieces in stock.
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Item code:
TDK263
Origin:
Japan
Material:
porcelain
Capacity:
130 ml / 4.4 fl. oz (full capacity without tea leaves)
Dimensions:
Φ 11 cm, H: 9.5 cm (body without lid: Φ 10.5 cm, H: 6 cm)
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Ship to:
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Worldwide (
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Delivery service:
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DHL, FedEx, Yamato Transport, Yu-Pack (
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Delivery time after posting:
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3-5 business days
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Payments:
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• PayPal • Bank card payment • Bank transfer • Cash on delivery (
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Returns:
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14 days money back (
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The customs duties do not belong to our competence. It may occur that duties have to be paid on receipt of the parcel. About the current rates of customs duties in your country please contact local authority. To learn about international shipping,
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Goods will be dispatched within 5 business days after confirming the inventory of the product quantity you have ordered.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
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Handling precautions
Initiation:
Before first use, rinse it in hot water then let it dry completely!
Usage:
Avoid placing in a place with high temperatures, such as a microwave, oven, or stove.
Cleaning:
Rinse with hot water, then let it dry completely.
Do not use dishwasher, dryer or dish soap!
In case of discoloration, do not use any kind of bleach!
Storage:
After use, always let it dry completely, for if stored while still wet, it might develop a damp smell or mold.