Totai Guinomi primitive carmine

This is a new *totai-shuki* (lacquered ceramic) sake cup in "ancient vermilion" by Koji Nakahara, who studied under Fumio Kawabata and aims to create works that suit contemporary life. It is a piece of *totai-shikki*—lacquerware with a ceramic base—finished with a primitive, stylish vermilion surface. By applying the *byakudan-nuri* technique to paint bold gold designs across the piece, the primitive ivy motifs evoke a powerful, divine atmosphere reminiscent of ancient ritual vessels. The hand-molded appearance, achieved using plaster molds to give it the feel of earthenware, shows an uncompromising attention to detail that perfectly complements the vessel's sacred aesthetic as a piece of sake ware. When viewed purely as a sake cup, the exceptionally soft texture provided by the lacquer, combined with the excellent hand-feel resulting from the molded construction, makes this a remarkably intuitive and easy-to-use piece. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 7.8cm × 7.7cm × Height 3.5cm Koji Nakahara was born in Osaka Prefecture in 1978. He graduated from the advanced course at Nara College of Arts in 2000 and from the Bizen Pottery Center in 2001. That same year, he began his apprenticeship under Fumio Kawabata and joined Kaneshige Ritoen in 2007. Since then, he has actively exhibited his work at the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition and various other juried exhibitions. He is currently an associate member of the Japan Kōgei Association.