Categories
satsuma

Satsuma Sake Cups And Pots

Sake is an alcoholic drink made from fermented rice and has been created and drunk in Japan since the Nara period (around 710 to 794 AD). Sake is most usually drunk using quite small cups with no handles call Choko and poured from a ceramic pot or flask called a Tokkuri. There are also other flatter saucer style cups called Sakazuki, but these are usually just used at weddings and on more important occasions.

The Satsuma pottery makers would have drunk Sake and therefore, made Sake cups and pots that were used either for special occasions or as everyday items. Each of the Sake Choko cups would have been adorned with the same hand painted designs that you see on a Satsuma Vase, making them very beautiful pieces. Each cup, pot to bottle would have also been signed with the makers name or mark, the same as all other pieces - so you can check for these when making an identification of the items before buying.

Antique Japanese Tea Cup w Moutain Tea Scene Signed Kutani Taisho Era c 1920
Antique Japanese Tea Cup w Moutain Tea Scene Signed Kutani Taisho Era c 1920
$225.00
Set Lot 5 Vintage Satsuma Saki Tea Cups Heritage Mint Peacock Design Vintage
Set Lot 5 Vintage Satsuma Saki Tea Cups Heritage Mint Peacock Design Vintage
$45.00
3 1 2 H MARKED Kinkozan JAPANESE MEIJI PERIOD SATSUMA TEA SAKE POT
3 1 2 H MARKED Kinkozan JAPANESE MEIJI PERIOD SATSUMA TEA SAKE POT
$1,850.00
3 5 8 H MARKED Da Nipppn Koku Satsuma Yaki JAPANESE MEIJI SATSUMA TEA SAKE POT
3 5 8 H MARKED Da Nipppn Koku Satsuma Yaki JAPANESE MEIJI SATSUMA TEA SAKE POT
$2,500.00
Satsuma Moriage HouseofKoshu Japanese Kamotsuru Empty Sake Bottle Decanter
Satsuma Moriage HouseofKoshu Japanese Kamotsuru Empty Sake Bottle Decanter
$67.99
Vintage Satsuma Japan Saki TEA CUP Heritage Mint hand painted Peacock Design
Vintage Satsuma Japan Saki TEA CUP Heritage Mint hand painted Peacock Design
$8.00

As with some of the Satsuma vase items, the cups and pots may have just been ornamental, rather than being used all the time. The Japanese hold tradition and ceremony very highly in their culture, so some pieces of Satsuma were more decorative, not practical.

The tiny Choko sake cups are only designed to hold a very small amount of drink and do not have handles. They tend to be like a rounded bowl shape, rather than with a stem or base to them. However, more modern sake cups made in the Satsuma style (1910's onwards - Meiji period) have been known to represent a traditional western cup design, or have a short stem on the bottom.

Lithophane Sake Cups

Some modern sake cups or bowls have Lithophanes in the bottom, where thin and transparent pottery is used to display an image of a face or a picture. Due to this being quite a modern technique (1820's) the pieces of Satsuma that you might find this on are certainly not antiques. However, they are very beautiful and seeing a face at the bottom of your sake cup after taking a drink would be a good thing.

Tokkuri Pot

The pot used for serving the alcoholic mash made from water and rice is called the Tokkuri and is also quite small in size compared to a western teapot. The Sake would be poured from it's bottled container and served either chilled or at room temperature.

The Tokkuri is usually just a pot with a spout and handles, also decorated in the Satsuma style, but can also take the form of a bottle shape, with a cylindrical body and thinner neck. However, some other items of Satsuma do look like sake bottles - so be careful it is not a bud vase (used for displaying a small amount of flowers). Try to imagine filling the bottle or pouring from it. Sometimes this will help you identify if the bottle is for sake or not.

As part of the sake serving equipment, there are also larger bowls that are used to clean and wash the smaller cups. These bowls can also be hand painted in the satsuma style and form part of a set.

Here are a selection of items for sale on eBay at the moment that relate to Satsumaware Sake cups, pots and equipment.  Remember to check them for authenticity before you buy.

Vintage Antique Japanese Satsuma Pottery Sake Cup Jurojin Art SIGNED
Vintage Antique Japanese Satsuma Pottery Sake Cup Jurojin Art SIGNED
$9.99
Antique Japanese Satsuma Ware Sake Pot Meiji Period
Antique Japanese Satsuma Ware Sake Pot Meiji Period
$229.00
Satsuma kiriko Choko Sake cup Lilac color 60ml H4cm Handmade Made in Japan New
Satsuma kiriko Choko Sake cup Lilac color 60ml H4cm Handmade Made in Japan New
$327.12
House Of Koshu 1960s Laughing Buddha Satsuma Sake Decanter No Stopper
House Of Koshu 1960s Laughing Buddha Satsuma Sake Decanter No Stopper
$49.99
Vintage SATSUMA 1979 Porcelain Japanese Sake Cups Gold Floral Peacocks Lot of 3
Vintage SATSUMA 1979 Porcelain Japanese Sake Cups Gold Floral Peacocks Lot of 3
$15.00
Shimadzu Satsuma Kiriko Cut Glass Sake cup with leg cut201 ruri gold red 45ml Jp
Shimadzu Satsuma Kiriko Cut Glass Sake cup with leg cut201 ruri gold red 45ml Jp
$430.23
Japan Antique battle Sake bottle Satsuma  yoroi samurai katana Busho Edo 4217
Japan Antique battle Sake bottle Satsuma yoroi samurai katana Busho Edo 4217
$380.00
Antique Japanese Satsuma Sake Cup Guinomi Sakazuki Stylized Chrysanthemums
Antique Japanese Satsuma Sake Cup Guinomi Sakazuki Stylized Chrysanthemums
$39.95
Japanese Ceramic Satsuma Sake Cup Guinomi Sakazuki Vtg Crackle Pottery GU579
Japanese Ceramic Satsuma Sake Cup Guinomi Sakazuki Vtg Crackle Pottery GU579
$14.96
Vintage Porcelain Hand Painted Japanese Gold Lined Sake Cups and Satsuma Dish
Vintage Porcelain Hand Painted Japanese Gold Lined Sake Cups and Satsuma Dish
$15.00
Japanese Satsuma Sake Cup Ceramic Guinomi Sakazuki Vtg Signed Pottery GU504
Japanese Satsuma Sake Cup Ceramic Guinomi Sakazuki Vtg Signed Pottery GU504
$18.71
Japanese Ceramic Satsuma Sake Cup Guinomi Sakazuki Vtg Crackle Pottery GU576
Japanese Ceramic Satsuma Sake Cup Guinomi Sakazuki Vtg Crackle Pottery GU576
$14.96

2 replies on “Satsuma Sake Cups And Pots”

What is my Satsuma plate worth now.Had appreciated but l thought he was under valuing it.
S.KINKOZAN japanese satsuma earthware. W10cm L10cm H2cm.
Prefect condition. No cracks no chips no wear.Clear marks.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The maximum upload file size: 2 MB. You can upload: image. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop file here