漆のぐい呑み ～Japanese lacquer: sake cup～

Canon 400D, EF-S 18-55mm at 28mm, F8, 1/5 sec, ISO 1600

日本だとお花見の季節。普段はあまりお酒を飲むことが無い僕ですが、お酒は好きな方です。どうせ飲むならその場の雰囲気や一緒に飲む人との時間を更に楽しみたいと、飲む器にもこだわりたいと思っています。このぐい呑みセットは漆職人をしている叔父からいただいたもの。５つのぐい呑みとサイコロのセットですが、ぐい呑みの底には鶴・亀・松・竹・梅と所謂縁起の良い物が描かれ、サイコロの6面のうち5面は同様の絵が一つずつ描かれ、最後の一面にはウタと書かれています。サイコロを振って自分が飲むぐい呑みを選ぶとともに、もしウタを出してしまったら歌を歌わなければならないというちょっとした遊び心が最高です。

In Japan, the season for cherry blossom is coming and the party to go along with it. Usually, I don’t drink, but I enjoy it when I do. When I drink, I would love to enjoy the company of friends and the mood of the gathering even more with the cups or glasses I use. This is a photo of a set of sake cups made with Japanese lacquer. This was a gift from my uncle who is a craftsman. There are five cups and a dice. Each cup has a picture of Japanese lucky item/figures: Crane, Turtle, Pine tree, Bamboo tree, and Plum flower. The dice has these five pictures along with “song”. When I drink sake with my friends, we each roll the dice and pick a cup according to the dice. When someone rolls “song”, that person needs to sing and entertain the others. I just love this concept of this set that puts little more fun into the gathering.