Vintage japanese kamidana accessories, blue and white ceramic hotsell sake bottle with brass flame decoration, omiki-guchi, heishi-guchi

Love Japanese Style Like We Do

(listing for pair of sake bottles with flame)

vintage japanese kamidana accessories, blue and white ceramic sake bottle with brass flame decoration, omiki-guchi, heishi-guchi

A nice vintage pair of Japanese heishi-guchi (sake bottles) with an omiki-guchi (flame shape decoration). Representing fire hotsell and water, the two elements seen necessary for purification in Japanese religion, they are offered at the Japanese kamidana (home altar).

The ceramic heishi guchi are decorated in an indigo tako karakusa (octopus vine) design. The karakusa pattern shows branching vines that curl outward across the porcelain surface. The unbroken, growing vine signifies prosperity and longevity. The heishi Yuchi are in good vintage condition with no cracks or chips.

The brass omiki-guchi have darkened in color and there are areas of tarnish.

A pair of flames in sake bottles are placed either side of the shrine on the kamidana (god shelf), particularly at New Year. Older pieces look good together with an antique kamidana shrine.

- measures in total (flame and sake bottle) 20 cm (7.9”) high x 7 cm (2.7”) across.
- weighs 240 gm.

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ABOUT OUR VINTAGE AND ANTIQUE ITEMS
We list pieces we feel are worthy of display. There may be scratches, dents, fading and signs of wear and tear. We try to explain the condition of each item exactly, but may miss something.

Information regarding the item and it's age is obtained from dealers and our personal research. We do our best to give you the correct information but please be aware that we cannot guarantee this information.

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OMIKI-GUCHI
Omiki-guchi literally means, sacred sake mouth. A stylized flame, representing fire, that springs from the mouth of a sacred sake bottle, representing water. In Japanese religion, fire and water are the origins of human life and are the means by which man can purify himself. Symbols of these two staples, are important sacred tools to be offered at the Japanese home altar. An open flame was not a good idea for the home, so finely crafted wood and metal replicas came into being. The style of these mingei flames differed depending on the local area where they were made, with techniques being passed down through generations.

The wooden flames are particularly beautiful, hand crafted into delicately scented flames from Yoshino hinoki, a variety of particularly fragrant Japanese cypress. Only straight grained wood, free of knots is used, and only hinoki is flexible and strong enough to be cut into the fine strips, necessary for fitting together the pieces into a crosshatch net pattern.

In Japan, New Year is a time for change and new hope. The house is thoroughly cleaned, as is the home altar. This is when a new special pair of mingei flames are displayed on the kamidana, to start the year off right.

With the advent of electricity and low wattage candle lamps, the popularity of Omiki-guchi declined, but there does seem to be a new interest and appreciation of this folk art recently.