Ship sake bottle with red slip glaze, Tamba ware

Called “ship sake bottles”, these large sake bottles were made with a wider base to ensure they are stable and do not fall over when transported on ships. Akadobe slip rich in iron is applied to the ware which is then fired to give a vibrant reddish brown. This was thought to have been originally applied to seal small gaps for preventing sake from spilling out, but its purpose may have later changed for aesthetic appearance.