This exquisite hantsutsu-gata Hagi-yaki chawan (matcha bowl) has a lovely biwa-iro (枇杷色 - loquat-coloured) hue with kannyū (貫入 - glaze crazing) present in the glaze. The koshi and area inside the mikazuke kodai (三日月高台 - crescent moon foot ring) are trimmed using a bamboo spatula, leaving a delightfully rough texture

Like most Hagi ware, this chawan is porous and will absorb water and tea and change colour over time. With each use, we suggest rinsing the bowl with hot water before preparing tea in it, as you would with any chawan.

Hagi-yaki (萩焼) is a type of Japanese pottery that comes from the town of Hagi in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan and dates back over 400 years. Some of the oldest Hagi-yaki pieces have been declared National Treasures of Japan. The natural warm hues of its clay, along with the simple lines of its forms are highly valued within the traditional aesthetics of many tea ceremony schools.

Hagi ware is said to improve with age as the tannins in the tea slowly stain the fine cracks in the glaze (called crazing or kan-nyuu), creating a rich texture known as 'nanabake', or 'the 7 transformations'. Because of this slightly porous nature, some people like to dedicate their Hagi ware to one type of tea, such as sencha, to avoid having other aromas seep into the clay.

Dimensions:

1.7cm (0.7in) - width
9cm (3.5in) - height
500ml - capacity

Condition: Excellent

This vintage Japanese item ships from the United States