Label Type
Exhibition LabelLabel
This simply decorated wine pot in the shape of a turtle was a common
design used for Japanese wine pots in the mid-19th century. The turtle
is a symbol of longetivity in Japan.Label Type
Exhibition LabelLabel
Like tea drinking in Japan, there was an etiquette to consuming sake wine. Before it was
poured, this tokkuri was placed in a pan of hot water in order to warm the sake. The turtle is a
symbol of longevity within Japanese culture.Label Type
Curator Pick of the MonthLabel
This stoneware piece creatively shaped like a turtle is actually a vessel for holding wine to serve as a reminder to celebrate the year finally coming to an end. More importantly it is a marker of the many new years to come, as turtles are considered symbols of longevity in Japan. The dense clay that it was made of would have been molded into its shape, detailed down to the patterns in its shell and the toes on its feet, and then fired at a high enough temperature to make it safe for liquids.
