Lucky Motifs Square Sauce Plate

This square plate brings together plants and natural wonders long linked to good luck in Japan. Pine, bamboo, and plum make up sho-chiku-bai, the “three friends of winter,” celebrated for their ability to remain green or bloom through the cold months. These auspicious plants frequently appear in New Year decorations and wedding celebrations. Mount Fuji, with its broad, gently widening slopes, evokes suehirogari, a shape associated with growing prosperity and a future filled with good fortune. Iridescent clouds, or saiun, take on rainbow hues as sunlight scatters through thin clouds and have long been regarded as signs that luck is on its way. A ripe peach completes the collection, representing an ancient charm against misfortune.

Each corner is accented with a red dot, while a brown line outlines the rim. Roomier than a typical soy sauce dish, the plate can hold wasabi and grated ginger alongside a serving of sashimi. Arrange the pine, bamboo, and plum side by side on a New Year table for a coordinated auspicious theme.

Soukyu Kiln

Soukyu Kiln is a Kutani ware studio in Nomi, Ishikawa Prefecture, established in 2017. Ceramic artist Sakurai Chie and her husband run the kiln together.

Their work centers on gosai, the five traditional Kutani colors of red, blue, yellow, navy blue and purple. Using paints they blend themselves, they return each piece to the kiln as many times as it takes for the colors to settle as intended. The finished surfaces are vivid, clear and glossy, and they carry the warmth of work done by hand.

Kutani ware is a traditional Japanese porcelain from the Kaga region in Ishikawa Prefecture, with a history spanning over 350 years. Known for its vibrant overglaze enamel designs and use of five signature colors, known as Kutani gosai—navy blue, red, purple, green, and yellow pigments. This timeless craft has continuously evolved through generations of artisans who balance innovation with a deep respect for tradition. 

Kutani ware exhibits a diverse range of distinctive styles, shaped by evolving artistic tastes over the centuries. Styles such as ko-Kutani, with its bold colors, geometric patterns, and painterly detail, and akae-saibyo, marked by ultra-fine red lines. Many pieces feature traditional Japanese motifs, such as kacho (flowers and birds) and sansui (landscapes), offering a timeless glimpse into the beauty of nature and the seasons.