This finely crafted tea bowl (chawan) depicts the seasonal balloon vine (風船カズラ, fūsen-kazura) rendered in luminous green enamels and accented with gold outlines. The form is executed in the Kyoto tradition, with a soft crackled glaze (貫入 kan’nyū) and gently flared mouth, inviting intimate handling. The plant’s lantern-like seed pods and curling tendrils unfurl gracefully across the surface, symbolizing transience and natural vitality—concepts deeply rooted in the aesthetics of the Japanese tea ceremony.
The technique of 掛分 (kakewake)—a division of glaze fields—is subtly applied, with a delicate transition from soft celadon green to ivory, framing the botanical painting. Gold embellishment (kinrande) and fine brushwork evoke the classical elegance of Edo-period Kyo-yaki and Rinpa-inspired wares.