{"product_id":"倉敷意匠-猫の陽刻豆皿灰釉","title":"Kurashiki design cat carved bean plate (ash glaze)","description":"\nProduct specifications: Length approx. 8.3 x Width approx. 9.4 x Height approx. 2.3 cm Porcelain Production area: Gifu Prefecture \n\u003cbr\u003eProduct description: Mino shaped bean plate\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs I browse around antique stores, I realize that Japan has an overwhelmingly larger quantity of small pottery than Europe and America.\n\u003cbr\u003eIt seems that it was not until the 18th century that knives and forks became commonly used in Western Europe, and until then, food was eaten by grabbing the food cut into pieces on a platter.\n\u003cbr\u003eThis is probably the biggest factor in the difference between Japan and Japan, where chopsticks have been used since ancient times, but I feel like it's not the only factor.\n\u003cbr\u003eSince ancient times, Japanese people have been conscious of the combination of food and utensils as part of the act of eating, and I think they have been especially keenly aware that the utensils can even play a role as spices, which can influence the flavor of the food itself.\n\u003cbr\u003eIt is certain that during the Edo period, when many people did not have enough leeway in their lives, thousands of tea bowls, soba choko cups, small plates, and other miscellaneous utensils used for the common people's diet were found in every corner of the countryside, and we can imagine that the feeling of looking at, holding, and tasting these small but cute items was as comforting as enjoying the food.\n\u003cbr\u003eFor this reason, it is hard to imagine just how many different types of small plates there are from the Edo period, but you can find many that have not only variations in decoration, but also ingenuity in the shape of the plates themselves. In other words, the body itself may be a fish, a plover, or a melon.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe photograph shows the shape of the mamezara made in the Seto and Mino regions of Aichi Prefecture until the early Meiji period.\n\u003cbr\u003eThese molded objects were carved to represent feathers, but at the time, unglazed pottery molds were used instead of plaster molds, so it was technically impossible to make large ones, so the molded objects inevitably ended up being small plates with dainty designs.\n\u003cbr\u003eFukurajaku is another name for Kanjaku, which refers to a sparrow that puffs up its feathers to protect itself from the cold. The fat and swollen appearance symbolizes wishing for wealth and prosperity, and was considered a good omen.\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis time at Kurashiki Design, we also made a small plate with a cat that is aiming for this fluffy sparrow. The slightly evil-looking cat's face was based on a cast pin tray cat found in French antiques, and we asked a sculptor in Mino to arrange it.\n\u003cbr\u003eI would be happy if you could enjoy it not only at your dining table, but also at your work desk.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003cp\u003eProduct code: classiky-93320-01\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003cp\u003eJAN code: 4539745053928\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e","brand":"officejapan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39703958028481,"sku":"classiky-93320-01","price":1650.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0562\/9335\/9809\/products\/imgrc0075285813.jpg?v=1757302795","url":"https:\/\/office-japan.jp\/en\/products\/kurashiki-design-cat-carved-bean-plate-ash-glaze","provider":"OfficeJapan オフィスジャパン","version":"1.0","type":"link"}