Fumito Abe - BlackUrushi Katakuchi

⚠ Testing Notice
This product is currently undergoing FDA and California Proposition 65 compliance testing. We will update this listing once testing is complete.

Please note: Each piece is entirely hand-formed. Dimensions, shape, and surface texture will vary between individual pieces.

Crafted by Fumito Abe of Kamoshika Kiln in Ajigasawa, Aomori, this katakuchi (spouted vessel) is formed from raw clay body saturated with kuro-urushi — a black urushi lacquer enriched with iron — and then fired at high temperature. The result is a black unlike any glaze or pigment: not a single flat color, but a living surface where charcoal, deep brown, and subtle metallic glints coexist within the same depth of black.

The small pour spout is what defines a katakuchi: a form rooted in the Japanese tea and sake traditions, used to cool water before a tea service, or to pour sake elegantly at the table. Beyond its function, this vessel carries quietly as a flower vase, a condiment holder, or an object of contemplation on its own.

Because each piece is hand-formed and individually fired, no two are identical. Slight variations in shape, surface texture, and tone are not imperfections — they are the record of the maker's hands and the kiln's fire.

What is a Katakuchi?
A katakuchi (片口) is a traditional Japanese vessel distinguished by a single pouring lip formed into one side of the rim. Historically used in tea ceremony to cool boiled water to the correct temperature (yuzamashi), and in sake service as a pouring vessel, the katakuchi has evolved into one of the most versatile and quietly elegant forms in Japanese craft. In contemporary use, it serves equally well as a sauce or dressing pourer, a bud vase, or simply as a beautiful object at rest on the table.

Dimensions：Approx. W 11cm × H 10cm
Material：Stoneware clay + black-urushi lacquer
Care：Hand wash only. Do not soak. Do not use in microwave or dishwasher.