Apr 22, 2025

The Saga Prefectural Cultural Properties Protection Deliberation Council held in March 2025 reported that the "Tea bowl with dandelion design in underglaze iron-brown" should be designated as an Imortant Cultural Property of Saga Prefecture.　The official designation will be announced in the Saga Prefecture Public Relations Bulletin in the future.　(Designation was done on May 2nd, 2025)

The Kyushu Ceramic Museum's collection of Important Cultural Properties in Saga Prefecture now consists of 11 items, including the "Tea bowl with dandelion design in underglaze iron-brown".

1. Overview
This is a rare Karatsu ware "Kutsu-jawan" depicting a dandelion made around the early 17th century.
Mouth diameter: 16.7x13.9cm, Height: 7.3cm, Bottom diameter: 7.3x6.1cm
It is made by forming a circular shape on a potter's wheel while squeezing the mouth rim inward, and then distorting it into an oval shape.
The bowl is called a "Kutsu-jawan" because of its shape, which resembles oval-shaped footwear worn by monks and Shinto priests.
It was influenced by Furuta Oribe, who led the tea ceremony as a daimyo tea master after the death of Sen no Rikyu.

2. Reason for Designation
This is an excellent example of a Kutsu-jawan, mainly featuring a dandelion design, of which there are no known examples among the Karatsu ware, it is also considered to be one of the earliest Kutsu-jawan, and highly evaluated as an extremely important example, as it eloquently illustrates the historical background of Karatsu ware, which was heavily used as tea utensils were used in the diplomacy of daimyo. It is highly regarded as an extremely important example of Karatsu ware.

3. Exhibition Location

Exhibition Room 3 (Old Ceramics of Kyushu), Kyushu Ceramic Museum

"Tea bowl with dandelion design in underglaze iron-brown"
from the Takatori Collection, Kyushu Ceramic Museum