Sujihiki Tokoname Shudei Teapot - 250ml
KohokujōThis expertly crafted Tokoname-yaki kyusu (teapot) has a classic tall shape, and is thrown from the iconic Tokoname shudei (朱泥) clay, known for its brilliant vermillion red colour and ability to subtly reduce the astringency of tea.
The surface is unpolished and unsmoothed, in a style called sujihiki (筋引) which is a subtler variation of rokurome (ろくろ目 - potters' wheel marks) which shows the flow of the potter's fingers as they shaped the piece on the wheel. The lid is decorated with a simple hand-painted pattern. The teapot's built-in ceramic debeso filter is perfect for naturally straining tea.
This piece was made by Shimizu Takayuki (清水孝幸), the son of who Shimizu Genji (清水源二) who makes pottery under the name Hokujō (北条). As such, Takayuki's artist name is fittingly Kohokujō (小北条): Little Hokujō. Born in 1977, Kohokujō continues his father's legacy of producing some of Tokoname's finest pots.
The kyusu comes in its original kiribako (桐箱 - paulownia wood box) signed and sealed by the artist (not currently pictured).
Made in Japan. Ships from the United States.
Width: 12.7 cm (5 in) (including handle)
Height: 8.7 cm (3.4 in)
Capacity: 250 ml
Tokoname-yaki (常滑焼) is a type of Japanese pottery that traditionally comes from Tokoname in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The site of one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns, pottery has been made in Tokoname since the 12th century.
Today, Tokoname ware is known for its iconic brick-red clay called shudei. Famously used in teaware and bonsai pots, this clay’s vibrant colour comes from its rich iron content. Tea steeped in unglazed Tokoname teapots is said to have a mellower taste.
In modern usage, mishima (三島) refers to a decorative technique called slip-inlay developed in Korea around the 15th century. Much like the earlier Korean inlaid celadon, designs would be carved, etched, or stamped into the clay. However, instead of being carefully filled with coloured clay, the entire piece is coated in white slip (liquid clay), and the excess is then scraped off, leaving just the designs filled with white slip. Finally, the piece is finished with a transparent ash glaze.
Common designs are incised lines, geometric patterns, and stamped flowers (印花 - inka), typically chrysanthemums.
The earliest mishima chawan are called ko-mishima (古三島 - old mishima) and belonged to the first generation of kōrai chawan. However, the vast majority of Korean mishima chawan were produced as gohon chawan (御本茶碗 - made-to-order tea bowls) in the late 1500s and throughout the 1600s. The mishima technique was often combined with other slipware techniques such as hakeme and kohiki.
The earlier ko-mishima bowls tended to have more complex and intricate designs. One common motif was a 'rope curtain', a series of squiggly vertical lines that was said by the Japanese teaists to resemble the cursive vertical writing of the calendars from Mishima shrine, hence the name mishima. Another early name for these bowls was koyomi-de (暦手) meaning calendar style. These earlier bowls often had heavier and looser applications of white slip, and were overall lighter in colour, with a greyer base.
The later gohon mishima had simpler designs, often just rows of diagonally-carved lines and a few stamped flowers. Those that were decorated primarily with diagonal lines are called hori-mishima (carved mishima - 彫三島) and conversely those that were mostly stamped with flowers are somtimes called hana-mishima (flower mishima - 花三島).
