Universe in a Sake Cup: The Beauty of the Guinomi

I don’t drink sake – the famous Japanese fermented wine with a storied history, but I do collect sake cups (guinomi in Japanese). I have literally hundreds of these little cups, most of which are stored in cabinets with a few displayed at any one time on a rotational basis in my home. You could say my passion amount almost to an obsession and I won’t disagree. Sake cups contain a universe of tradition and artistry, with of the some of the best ones commanding hundreds of dollars. Here is one of my favorite sake cup.

I love its imperfections such as the irregular shape, and the “pinholes” distributed over the surface. In Japanese tradition, such imperfections are highly valued in tea and sake ware; they even have a name for it – wabi-sabi, which roughly means beauty in the rustic and the imperfect.

Sake cups became popular in the Edo era (1603-1868) though its origins date back over a thousand years. During the Edo period, social and economic stability allowed for the proliferation of food and drink shops, and sophisticated brewing techniques facilitated mass production. This made sake more accessible, and it became a staple for the general population, not just the elite.

Sake cups are made in a variety of materials such as stoneware, porcelain or even glass, but by far the most popular material is stoneware or earthenware. This is due to a combination of factors: aesthetic appeal (e.g. their unglazed appearance) and functional qualities (such as porosity) that are thought to enhance the flavors of sake. Wood fired sake cups are especially valued for the same reasons.

The appeal of sake cups also lies in their artistry. A sake cup potter sees himself as an artist, with the cup’s surface viewed as a “canvas” onto which he can incorporate natural kiln fire patterns or artistic designs. Skilled potters pay a great deal of attention to the shape, the clay type and even the foot of a sake cup similar to the way chawan (tea bowl) artisans do. Indeed, sake cups are often viewed as miniature chawan as they are about a third to half the size of a typical chawan and generally of similar shape. Their petite size also makes them more affordable than chawan in general, meaning one can collect more of them.

The following statement summarizes how one noted potter describes his fascination with the sake cup form:

As I experimented with the various vessel types indigenous to Japanese ceramics culture, I began to develop a special affection for those relating to sake, specifically the guinomi or sake cup. Aside from great respect for a vessel with rich tradition, and its evolution from humble beginnings, it was the cup itself that fascinated me. I saw these are jewels from the kiln, an object of beauty meant to be used in the most intimate type of consumption: drinking”

~ Lucien Koonce (American potter)

Below are 6 other sake cups from my collection to showcase a range of clay type, firing method and artistic styles.