Authentic hand-crafted chawan tea bowl suitable for Japanese matcha tea. This tea bowl was fired in a wood-kiln to bring out an interesting play of colors that developed in its glaze due to oxidation in the glaze through the high and variable heat in the kiln. The wood-kiln brings out a more varied and interesting pattern on the surface of the bowl. The blue hue and several blue-green areas, as well as spots of brown and red on the surface are a result of the interaction between the tenmoku glaze the potter used and the fire, in addition to his regular white akahata glaze.
The potter uses the Akahata white glaze on a reddish soil to bring out this beautiful glossy white surface. With use over time the glaze will start to show a craquelure which will add to the flavor of the teapot and its expression.
Product specifications
Contains: 1x chawan tea bowl
Tea pot size: H7cm x W11.5cm x D11cm;
Packaging: standard wrapping
Munehiro Nakao Profile
Born in 1980 in Nara prefecture.
Graduated from Kyoto Prefectural Ceramists’ Technical Institute.
Worked under Masaaki Inomata at the Bizen-ware Saizōbō kiln as an apprentice for 5 years.
Worked under Ōshio Shōzan at the Akahata-ware Shōzan kiln as an apprentice for 5 years.
Started his own kiln under the name Tsukitachi-kama in Ikoma, Nara in 2013.
Moved the location of his kiln to Heguri in Nara in 2018.
RJ (verified owner) –
This is a very beautiful bowl. I am not sure the photos can do justice to the variety of colors that come out in the glaze. I have spent quite a bit of time pouring over the little details and I have not tired of it yet. That alone makes it both a great conversation piece and a fun personal bowl. I am also a huge fan of little designs in the tea well at the bottom of the bowl, and this one is no exception. It is always satisfying seeing them revealed as tea is consumed.
The light brown-ish glaze and the dark rim really showcases and frames the vibrant green color of matcha well. The medium thickness of the walls makes it appropriate for any time of year, and holds the heat of the tea nicely. It is also very easy to handle. The foot-to-lip ratio is very comfortable in my small hands, and gripping the foot feels very stable. There are two little quirks, but they do not get in the way of handling the bowl.
So, what are the quirks? On the underside of the bowl there are left over supports, made by using shells, originally put there to assist in firing the foot as well as for the glaze. They not only make for a whimsical motif, they are spaced in such a way that they can inadvertently be used as supportive pads for fingers as you drink that not only shield fingertips from heat, they also offer a little extra support in holding the bowl and have a fun, unique feel. Presenting a bowl with touch in mind is never something I considered before handling this bowl, and it has been a delightful surprise to both myself and my friend who joined me for a session.
I cannot wait to share the beauty of this bowl with more people.