Whistling Uguisu sake container set

It was during the Edo period (1603-1868) that sake became widely popular among the common people, and it was during this time that ceramic sake cups began to be made, giving birth to a variety of playful shapes and designs. It is thought to be one of them, but the Uguisu sake container called Uguisu Tokkuri 'うぐいす徳利' actually became popular from the Meiji period to the Showa period.
The Uguisu Tokkuri is a sake cup also known as a squeaking Tokkuri.
The typical design is a hexagonal cylinder with a lovely little bird perched on top. When you fill it with sake and pour it into a cup, the bird chirps.
The mechanism that produces the sound is based on the principle of the water flute. The inside of the Uguisu Tokkuri is divided vertically into two parts, which are connected at the bottom. When sake is poured into the bottle, the water level changes, and air flows in and out of the bottle, causing the little bird-shaped whistle to sound.
There is also a Uguisu sake cup called Uguisu Hai 'うぐいす盃' which has a whistle attached to the mouth and makes a sound when you suck on it.


Uguisu sake container 'うぐいす徳利/うぐいす梅徳利'
Capacity: approx. 210 ml
Size: approx. 6 cm x 15.5 cm

Uguisu sake cup 'うぐいす盃/うぐいす梅盃'Capacity: approx. 20ml
Size: approx. 5.8cm x 5.5cm x 3.4cm