This wabi-sabi hand-formed unglazed Bizen-yaki tea set includes one houhin (handless teapot), one yuzamashi (water cooler), and five matching yunomi (teacups), all decorated with geometric motifs and featuring an earthy gradient from the wood-firing, transitioning from the warm orange hue of the bare stoneware to the grey-green of ash deposits. Compared to the perfect symmetry that potters can achieve by throwing on a wheel, handbuilt or hand-formed pieces retain a charming irregularity.

Bizen-yaki (備前焼) is a type of Japanese pottery that traditionally comes from Bizen province, now part of Okayama prefecture, Japan. The site of one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns, pottery has been made in Bizen since at least the 14th century. Fired at high temperature for a long time (as long as 14 days) in wood-burning kilns, Bizen ware is known for its earthen colours and lack of traditional glaze. Because of the clay’s high rate of shrinkage, it is unsuitable for glazing. Instead, the designs found on Bizen ware come from kiln effects and include traces of molten ash resembling glaze and markings resulting from wood-burning kiln firing.

Dimensions:

Houhin:
11.3cm (4.4in) - width
5.8cm (2.3in) - height
150ml - capacity

Yuzamashi:
9.0cm (3.5in) - width
4.8cm (1.9in) - height
120ml - capacity

Teacups:
7.3cm (2.9in) - width
5.0cm (2.0in) - height
100ml - capacity

Condition: Very good

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