Ido chawan.
Of the 26 registered heirloom --or meibutsu teabowls-- the one known as Kizaemon is considered to be the finest of all.
It is thought to display all the greatest qualities of a work of fine art: dignity, beauty, composure and pedigree.
In all probability, when it was "discovered," it was probably just an old rice bowl in a peasant's house.
But Hideyoshi's soldiers had been given strict instructions: bring home anything of beauty you find in your plundering. And so this tea bowl made its way back to Japan-- changing hands for greater and greater sums of money until it became priceless- a treasure of the nation.
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