Japanese Matcha Bowl - Vintage Candy Glazed Raku-yaki Chawan

This weathered, handbuilt raku chawan (matcha bowl) features a lustrous burnt sienna 'candy glaze' with subtle variations. Candy glaze, or 'ame-yu' (飴釉) in Japanese, is a high-iron glaze known for its delightful variations and unevenness in colour and texture, getting its name from its overall caramel colour. Early examples of this glaze style date back to the Kamakura period. This chawan features a plethora of stamps around its exterior.

One of Japan's most recognisable styles, Raku-yaki (楽焼) or Raku ware was developed by famous tea master Sen-no-Rikyu in the late 16th century. Perhaps inspired by the recently created 引き出し黒 (hikidashi-guro) technique used to produce the Seto-guro style of black chawan, Rikyu collaborated with tile-maker Chojiro to produce a new style of ware for use in the tea ceremony. Hand-formed from porous clay rather than wheel-thrown, Raku chawan are then coated in a lead glaze, fired at low temperatures, and removed from the kiln while still glowing hot. Most Raku chawan exist in two styles: Aka-raku (red raku), and Kuro-raku (black raku).

Dimensions:

11.8cm (4.6in) - width
7.9cm (3.1in) - height

Condition: Good (has chips along the rim, please see photos)

This Japanese item ships from the United States.