When you grind an ink stick on a suzuri, you add water one drop at a time. Too much and the ink is thin. Too little and the stick drags. The water dripper gives you control.

This one is white porcelain with a blue floral design painted in the sometsuke style, the classic Japanese technique of cobalt blue on white glaze, fired at high temperature. The small hole on top lets you release one controlled drop at a time by placing your finger over it and lifting slowly.
It is a small object that does one thing well.

Sourced from Kyukyodo, Kyoto, established 1663.

Material: Glazed porcelain, sometsuke blue and white
Origin: Kyukyodo, Kyoto, Japan
Use: Water control for ink stone grinding
Dimensions: Approximately 4 x 3 cm