VASE, CEREMONIAL

Description: 1. VASE -- DIAMETER: 10.3-16.0 CM; CIRCUMFERENCE: 21.5 - 51.0 CM; LIGHT BLUE; THE VASE IS A GLAZED SLENDER CYLINDER WHICH HAS A TRUMPET-SHAPED MOUTH WITH GALLERIED RIM. AROUND THE CENTRE OF THE VASE IS A RAISED COLLAR OF 6.0 CM WIDE. THE COLLAR IS DARK BROWN WITH COLORFUL JAPANESE SYMBOLS (GREEN, YELLOW, BLUE); SYMBOLS: FIRE, BUTTERFLY, GOURD?; SLIGHTLY FLARED WITH A RIDGE OF 1.5 CM IN WIDTH ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BASE IS A MARKING IN JAPANESE CHARACTERS, PRESUMABLY THE SIGNATURE OF THE POTTER. 2. CONTAINER -- DIAMETER: 21.2 X 21.2 X 37.7 CM (INCLUDING THE LID); DETACHED LID; CONTAINER HAS ROUNDED CORNERS; TAPED TO THE LID WITH BROWN PACKING TAPE IS AN ENVELOPE. PRINTED ON THE ENVELOPE IN THE TOP LEFT "NIKKA YUKO CENTENNIAL GARDEN P.O. BOX 751, LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. T1J 3Z6". HAND WRITTEN ON THE ENVELOPE "THIS SIDE UP, CHINA VASE, VALUE $1000.00". WRITTEN IN BLACK INK DIRECTLY ON THE WOODEN LID ARE JAPANESE CHARACTERS. ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE LID, WRITTEN IN BLACK ARE JAPANESE CHARACTERS. THE CONTAINER IS CLOSED WITH A PURPLE RIBBED FABRIC RIBBON (1.5 X 310 CM) WHICH THREADS THROUGH FOUR SLITS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER.

History: THE VASE WAS A COMMEMORATIVE GIFT FROM PRINCE AND PRINCESS TAKAMATSU OF JAPAN TO THE NIKKA YUKO CENTENNIAL GARDEN (JAPANESE GARDEN), LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA, ON THE OCCASION OF ITS OPENING. THE PRINCE, A YOUNGER BROTHER OF THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN, PRESENTED THE VASE AT THE OPENING OF THE JAPANESE GARDEN ON JULY 14,1967. FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT JAPANESE CULTURE (STAMPS) REFER TO THE PERMANENT FILE. THE JAPANESE CHARACTERS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE LID ATTEST OF THE AUTHENTICITY AND EXQUISITE CRAFTSMANSHIP. THE CERTIFICATE WAS WRITTEN BY SOSA KEN (ALSO KNOWN AS SOKUCHU SAI), THE 13TH LINEAL DESCENDENT OF RIKYU, WHO WAS THE ORIGINATOR OF THE "TEA CEREMONY" AND RECOGNIZED AS THE GREATEST MASTER OF THE CEREMONY. THIS CERTIFICATE IS RESERVED FOR ONLY THE FINEST TEA CEREMONY UTENSILS. THE TEA CEREMONY ORGINATED AT NANSHU JI, A ZEN BUDDHIST TEMPLE IN SAKAI CITY AND ALSO THE HOME OF OSAKA PREFECTURE UNIVERSITY, WHERE DR. TADASHI KUBO, THE ARCHITECT OF NIKKA YUKO JAPANESE GARDEN WAS A PROFESSOR.