A yakishime bottle, fired at Tsuboya during the Ryukyu Kingdom period. The piece belongs to the category of arayachi (“rough-fired wares”), produced primarily for practical use in contrast to the more refined glazed jōyachi wares. Such vessels are commonly known as Oninūti (“ogre’s arm”). The name is said to derive either from the heavy, rod-like form of the vessel or from the tradition that such flasks were wielded as weapons in fights against pirates aboard ships. Like southern Chinese Hanpin jars (Nanban chimaki), they later came to be appreciated in Japan as flower vessels. The present example is distinguished by a portion of the rim being turned outward to form a pouring spout. The rugged texture of the surface and the forceful wheel marks embody the rustic vitality associated with Nanban wares.

There is a chip on the mouth and other than that there are no notable defects, and the condition is good.