Imari ware designs are so varied that they are never boring to look at, and are full of rich imagination and humour.Many of these designs may appear at first glance to be simple patterns or characters, but they are imbued with deep meaning.
The design of this small cup is another example.At first glance, it appears to be just the Chinese characters for ‘Fukuju’, pine needles, a rake and a broom, but when you unravel each element, you realise that it contains a variety of auspicious meanings.
Firstly, ‘Fuku’ means happiness and ‘Kotobuki’ means longevity, two auspicious characters often used in Imari ware designs.Furthermore, the pine tree, with its lush green leaves all year round, is a symbol of longevity, while the pine needles are a symbol of marital bliss, as the two leaves remain firmly connected even after they fall off.
The rake has the meaning of ‘grabbing good fortune and not letting go’ or ‘stirring up good fortune’, while the broom is believed to be inhabited by the Hahakigami (broom god) since ancient times and is considered a lucky charm for safe delivery and to ward off evil spirits.In particular, it is said that decorating the front door with brooms ‘stirs in happiness’.
The combination of pine needles, rakes and brooms is also associated with the Noh play Takasago.In Takasago, an elderly couple sweep under a pine tree with a rake and broom.In the past, many homes were decorated with ornaments and hanging scrolls of an old man holding a rake and an old woman holding a broom, which were popular as good luck charms to wish for marital bliss, domestic safety and long life.
Most of the designs on Imari ware are auspicious flora and fauna, landscapes and auspicious designs.This small cup also expresses this meaning by using a pine tree, a rake and a broom, rather than directly depicting the old couple in Takasago, and the composition is based on the wish for long life and conjugal bliss.
Presumably, this small cup was made to celebrate a marriage or a wedding anniversary.One of the charms of Imari ware is to think about the lives and thoughts of the people of the time while unravelling the patterns of Imari ware one by one.