Totoya Tea Bowl by Shimizu Hiroshi

Elegant tea bowl in the classical Totoya style. It shows a spiral of lines within the well and marks from the potter’s spatula on the exterior body of the bowl.

Cultural significance of the tea bowl:

Motif: Totoya (斗々屋). The name of the motif of the tea bowl is a reference to the original tea bowl that became the ancestor of this shape and style. The original Totoya tea bowl received its name because it was a piece that was owned by the owner of a fish store in 1580. The admirers of the bowl, including Sen Rikyu, named it ‘Totoya,’ ‘the fish shop.’

Product specifications

Tea bowl size: D15cm x H8cm
Packaging: Paulownia wooden box with inscription by the artisan.

About the artist: Hiroshi Shimizu

Shimizu Hiroshi (清水日呂志) is a Japanese potter, specialized in Korean-style tea ware. He is the 3rd generation of the Shimizu family and learned the art of pottery from his grandfather, Shimizu Rakuzan, since 1959. In 1974 he relocated to Korea to specialize further and mastered the skill of Korean-style tea ware. As an acknowledgement of his achievement he received the kiln name “Garaku” from his teacher. In 1981 he established the Rakuzan-kiln (楽山窯) for Odaka-ware in Mie prefecture. In 1992 he established the Garaku-kiln (駕洛窯) in Korea. And since 1995 he also began firing Korean-style ware at his Rakuzan-kiln in Mie prefecture.