Redesign of Kurojyoka Drinkguod by Yuki Ijichi

Redesign of Kurojyoka Drinkguod by Yuki Ijichi is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award yn Goud in Bakark, Tafelark, Drinkark en Keukenark Ûntwerp Competition Category.

GoudKeukenark· 2025

Redesign of Kurojyoka Drinkguod

by Yuki Ijichi

Client: MATHERuBA

A' Design Award yn Goud Winner in Keukenark Category

61,399
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #164307

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Redesign of Kurojyoka Drinkguod

Dit is in herûntwerp fan de kurojyoka, in tradisjonele Kagoshima shochu keramyske teepot, om by moderne libbensstilen te passen. De tradisjonele Kurojyoka wie foarme basearre op it Japanske hurdstêd ferwarmingssysteem, en syn foarm is itselde bleaun nettsjinsteande feroarjende libbensstilen. Dit projekt is in foartsetting fan de shochu kultuer en it tradisjonele hânwurk fan Kagoshima troch dit aspekt oan te passen en de kurojyoka by te wurkjen om by moderne libbensstilen te passen.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award yn Goud

Redesign of Kurojyoka Drinkguod is in winner fan de A' Design Award yn Goud, in ekstreem prestisjeuze erkenning foar earste-klas, prachtige en treflike ûntwerpen. Goudwinners binne tige ynnovative, fisionêre en glamoureus ferbjusterjende skeppings dy't it sjeny, de wiisheid en de feardigens fan har ûntwerpers wjerspegelje. Fan Redesign of Kurojyoka Drinkguod wurdt ferwachte dat it in tige priizge, trendsettende en monumintale útfining is dy't unferlykbere wearde leveret. Dit winnende ûntwerp fan de A' Design Award yn Goud is in spektakulêr, respektearre projekt dat grutte foardielen bringt en de grinzen fan keunst, wittenskip, ûntwerp en technology ferleget. Redesign of Kurojyoka Drinkguod makket yntinse gefoelens fan begearte, stekt passy oan, stimulearret kreativiteit en fassinearret ús.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This is a redesign of the Kurojyoka, a traditional Kagoshima ceramic earthenware teapot for shochu, to fit modern lifestyles. The traditional Kurojyoka was shaped based on heating in a Japanese hearth, and the Satsuma ware craftsmen did not revise the Kurojyoka to fit their changing lifestyles, but this project is characterized by its sublimation into a modern Kurojyoka by revising this aspect of the project. The fact that the shape has been modified for the modern age.
Dimensions & Packaging: Kurojyoka, Width 120mm x Depth 146mm x Height 160mm
Cup, Width 75mm x Depth 75mm x Height 45mm
Warmer, Width 114mm x Depth 102mm x Height 63mm
Pitcher for Maewari, Width 80mm x Depth 84mm x Height 205mm
Tags: Product Design, Redesign, Tableware, Sakeware, Kurojoka, Kurojoka6442, Satsuma ware, Earthenware shochu teapot
Production Technology: The redesigned Kurojyoka has a mass produced design so that it can be used as a modern earthenware teapot for shochu and as an everyday household item for enjoying shochu. It is made using casting molding, a technique for mass producing ceramics, in which muddy ceramic clay is poured into a plaster mold.
The material is porcelain, which is durable and can be used for commercial purposes.
The glaze uses shirasu from the Shirasu Plateau, a characteristic of Kagoshima's soil, with the aim of it becoming an everyday household item made from local materials.
Design Challenge: In redesigning the Kurojyoka, we tried to make it a mass production type for easy general use, but there was a difficulty in that Kagoshima does not have mass production technology. Therefore, we asked a Nagasaki potter with mass production technology to manufacture the product, but used Kagoshima materials for the glaze, thereby creating a Kurojyoka with elements of the production area.
Inspiration: The project began with a request from MATHERuBA, which operates a cafe and store in Kagoshima, to redesign the Kurojyoka, a traditional Kagoshima porcelain earthenware teapot for shochu, to suit modern lifestyles and create an original product.
We therefore researched the origin of the shape of Kurojyoka for shochu traditionally used in Kagoshima, and found design inspiration in the abacus shape described in literature, which we redesigned into a shape that fits today's lifestyle.
Project Duration: The project began in Kagoshima in February 2018 and ended in November 2019 and has been sold.
Image Credits: Image #1 : Photographer Masahiko Kukiyama
Image #2 : Photographer Masahiko Kukiyama
Image #3 : Photographer Masahiko Kukiyama
Image #4 : Photographer Masahiko Kukiyama
Image #5 : Photographer Masahiko Kukiyama