Behind his studio are two wood-fired climbing kilns (noborigama - 登り窯), only one of which is still in operation, used firing teaware. The unpredictability of wood firing adds dynamism and intrigue to the works, causing colour shifts and gradients in the glazes, adding more 'taste' and scenery to the pieces. Yoshika-san's works aren't limited to traditional tea ceremony pieces and classical styles, as he recently has been experimenting with sleek and modern matte glazes to adorn his spouted chawan, designed with matcha latte-making in mind. Outside of teaware, Yoshika-san has earned recognition for his large form vases, one of which was even used Hideaki Anno's 2016 Shin Godzilla!

Ido chawan (井戸茶碗 - well tea bowl) are the most prized of the Korean chawan. The original Ido chawan were likely made around the Hadong area during the Joseon dynasty in the 15th and 16th centuries. There, they were known as maksabal (막사발), meaning ‘a bowl for everything’, and were most commonly used by peasants for rice, rice wine, or soup. As the Joseon elite preferred pure white porcelain, they considered these maksabal, and other Korean stoneware to be too cheap and coarse.

While this is the most well-known and commonly accepted story, recent research suggests that ido chawan may have originally been used for local ceremonial (non-tea) or ritual practices in Korea, thus explaining their relative rarity. If they were common food bowls, we might expect to have found more of them on Korean soil. However, even this theory is debated.

Either way, when these bowls made their way to Japan, their unassuming rustic simplicity and subtly uneven shapes drew the eye of teaists, and the Ido chawan became the emblematic chawan of wabicha. Ironically, these ‘cheap Korean bowls’ became some of the most expensive and sought after chawan in Japan.