Once the side-dish plates of a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), these small shell-shaped mini-bowls were saved by the proprietors when, sadly, the establishment closed down in the 1950s.
Unusually deep — perfect for a petite dessert or as a trinket holder — each has a silky smooth glaze of softly mottled dusky blue.
Inside the shell, a central swirl of pooled glaze is paired with a partial "genjiguruma" cart wheel design — an auspicious symbol referencing Genji-era imperial vehicles. Outside, a swirl of texture wraps around the base like a ripple of water.
Porcelain
Width 10cm x Depth 9cm x Height 5.5cm
