Page 34 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

14 INTRODUCTION ;;
Kitchen
The Japanese kitchen is rich in various forms of pottery. A jar as large
as a barrel is used for water for general purposes ; large bottles and jugs of
various sizes are used to hold sauce, vinegar, oil, and wine. There are a
number of stout bowls, and even shallow dishes, the bottoms of which have
been roughened by deep lines or imbrications, like a wood-file, to grate
radishes and other substances, — a device which might come into practical
use in our kitchen. There are jars for pickled vegetables, salted fish, etc.
shallow earthen pans for parching peas or corn ; peculiarly constructed
vessels for the purpose of steaming cold rice ; covered dishes in which
to prepare fish or meat, and covered bowls to cook eggs in a certain way.
Near the range stands a rough jar filled with water ; in this fragments of
burning charcoal are dropped when the fire is no longer needed. This is
done as a precaution against fire, and to save the charcoal, an economy
practiced by the Japanese.

Sacra
In every house a little shelf may be found, high up near the ceiling, upon
which is placed the household shrine. In front of this are little pottery
lamps, usually in the form of small plates, to hold oil and a pith wick
unglazed plates for food offerings ; oviform, long-necked flasks to hold the
wine offering ; and pottery vessels to hold the incense sticks. Even the
effigy of Buddha, or Kwannon, may be of pottery or semi-porcelain. For
offerings in the Shinto temples, unglazed, hand-made plates are used.
These are often made by one of the priests of the temple. For the burn-
ing of incense at funerals specially formed vessels are utilized. The cine-
rary urns for the poorer classes are very simple. These are black, unglazed,
containing a small wooden box to hold the fragments of bone and teeth
which may not have been completely reduced to ashes. At the grave large,
unglazed vessels are used, in which to burn incense and to offer food. The
peculiar gateway, or torii^ standing in front of the temple, which may be of
wood, stone, or metal, has also been made of porcelain. There is a very
large one of porcelain in Hizen,

Food- Vessels
Among the dishes used for food and for table service generally a great
variety of very interesting and beautiful objects are seen. Among these
are covered bowls for soup and rice. A wide, low, covered bowl, placed in
the centre of the dinner tray, is used to hold meat or broiled fish ; smaller