An ofukei chawan where a dragon moves through ash-pale glaze — brushed in diluted cobalt and iron oxide, the creature unfolds across the bowl's surface in a gesture that is less decoration than encounter, ofukei glaze chawan, ryu dragon motif, Fuji-gama kiln, iron-oxide accent, hand-painted, tomobako included.
[ BASIC DETAILS ] • Type: Ofukei chawan (御深井茶碗) • Decoration: Dragon (ryū) with auspicious cloud and flame jewel, rendered in cobalt and iron pigments • Kiln: Fuji-gama (不二窯) • Condition: No cracks, no chips • Provenance: Signed tomobako
[ CULTURAL INSIGHT ] Ofukei ware originates from Owari (present-day Aichi Prefecture) and is identified by its warm, pale ash glaze — the color of old silk, somewhere between white and the palest celadon. The dragon on this bowl is not the fierce monster of Western imagination. In Japanese Buddhist and Shinto iconography, the dragon is a protector: keeper of water, bringer of rain, holder of the wish-fulfilling jewel. Here, the flame jewel (kaenjuyo) appears alongside the dragon in cobalt and warm iron-brown, circling the bowl with quiet authority.
[ DEEP DIVE ] Fuji-gama's craftsmanship in ofukei is visible in the evenness of the glaze — no pooling at the foot, no crazing across the body — and in the controlled application of two pigments in a single firing. The cobalt renders the dragon's scales and sinuous form; iron oxide anchors the jewel in warm earth tones. The interior glaze holds a soft, recessive warmth ideal for green matcha. The tomobako, inscribed by the kiln, confirms authenticity. This is a bowl for the practitioner who values the calm force that only a dragon can embody.
🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ] • Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days • Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking) • Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials
