HOTARU (handcrafted Matcha Bowl)

(Please note: Because this item is made-to-order, it takes approximately 3 weeks from the time you order this item until the date it is shipped from Kyoto, Japan. Once ordered, any order change or cancel can NOT be accepted. If you order this item with other items, they will be shipped together.)

The Tale of Genji is one of the oldest novels in the world. Written by noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu of the Japanese Imperial Court, this novel is composed of 54 stories and more than 800 WAKA Japanese poems.
The work recounts the life of Hikaru Genji, from his birth to death, and afterward. Through the book, Murasaki describes the life of aristocracy, romance in the Imperial Court, and political disputes. She expertly portrays the internal emotion and expression of each character of her novel.
We, Hibiki-an have collaborated with Zenshoh Yamaoka, who is the leading expert of paintings derived from masterpieces in the middle ages and acclaimed Kyo Yaki artisan, to release a series of Matcha bowls featuring the Tale of Genji. Zenshoh Yamaoka selected 12 stories out of 54, one suitable for each month of the year, arranged by season. ( Tale of Genji Matcha Bowls + Cups page)

Zenshoh Yamaoka expresses luxury and elegance in the palace, the secrets of human nature in each scene, and WABI-SABI aesthetic during this time, by making full use of various techniques. For example, in order to portray the gorgeous scenes of the Imperial Court, he uses luxurious gold to paint clouds, Japanese traditional cloth KIMONO, auspicious ornaments and so forth. This effect characterizes the affluent lifestyle of the Japanese Imperial Court during this period and makes the Matcha bowl brilliant. Clouds are one of the key features of the bowl. Clouds are frequently used in Japanese traditional painting to separate and define space and time. The use of golden clouds makes this Matcha bowl bright and luxurious.

HOTARU means firefly in Japanese. HOTARU is also one of the stories in the Tale of Genji. In this story, Hyobukyonomiya, who is the Emperor’s first son, visited Tamakazura’s house. She was an adopted daughter of Hikaru Genji. During this period, it was not allowed for a man to look at a woman directly, but only through a screen, so they talked through this screen, even though they were in the same room. Hikaru Genji released several fireflies in the darkness to reveal her beauty in silhouette through the screen. Hyobukyonomiya was so fascinated by Tamakazura’s beauty, that he fell even more in love with her.

This Matcha bowl portrays the scene where Hikaru Genji released fireflies on this romantic night. They fly in all directions, and the lights that the fireflies produce are colored in yellow and gold. The autumn leaves and the flowers decorated in red and green in the garden are also well matched to the fireflies. The lights that the fireflies dimly produce illuminate the luxurious screen panel. The golden color of the flower patterns are decorated on the orange screen, evoking the graceful life in Imperial Court during that period.

Inside the bowl, KAKITSUBATA iris and letters are decorated with golden clouds. One of three letters is tied to the iris stem. In the story of HOTARU, Hyobukyonomiya sent a letter with an iris to Tamakazura as a romantic invitation. The dreamy scene portraying the romantic invitation from the Emperor’s first son is well expressed on this Matcha bowl.

The light orange line called GOHONDE, which is one of the traditional techniques, is decorated inside and outside the bowl. This technique adds warmth to the bowl and paintings. The GOHONDE technique creates a warm atmosphere representative of the warm, summer season.

The story of HOTARU is well expressed on this Matcha bowl, which features traditional symbols of romance, such as natural illumination from fireflies and love letters. Their sophisticated arrangement will deepen the taste of Matcha.