Saucer, lacquer: circular; very shallow; short narrow foot. Red-orange ground on both upper and lower sides' Decoration on upper depicts a rooster perched upon a thatched roof, surrounded by flood (?) with tree tops in background of bamboo and a twisted pine (?). The design is in slight relief sprinkled gold (hiramakie) with black detail. Shading by graduated sprinkling. Inlaid squares of gold on pine needles (or shrubbery?). Larger sheet of gold foil inlaid at end of roof. Black undercoat shows through in several places; upper surface dull; underside gloss. Height 2.3 cm; Diameter 10.2 cm. Probably once one set of three wine cups, of graduating diameters, used in marriage (and other ) ceremonies and are called Sakazuki. At the wedding, the bride and groom observe the ceremony on san-san-kudo (three threes are nine), when they sip three times out of each of the three sake cups by which they pledge their marriage vows. According to Japanese belief, three means good luck, thus san-san-kudo signifies wish for a happy union.
Collection place:
Japan
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Bowls (vessels)
Function:
5.3 Objects relating to the Secular and Quasi-religious Rites, Pageants, and Drama