Carved Aka Raku Chawan

Name: Carved Aka Raku Chawan
Brand: Shōraku
SKU: US-M496
Price: 136.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$136.00

This classic aka raku chawan (matcha bowl) features a low hantsutsu-gata shape with subtle diagonal facets around the waist. Each bowl is hand-built and carved in Shōraku's work shop from his signature lightweight red clay blend. Then they are decorated with charcoal to form the black patches on the front of the bowl before being coated with a milky, translucent glaze that allows the clay's soft red colour to shine through. Finally, each chawan is briefly fired at around 800°C (1472°F). The low-temperature firing gives raku chawan their distinctive soft lightweight texture.

The bowl is stamped 松楽 (Shōraku), which he uses on his more entry-level pieces.

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).

Illustrated map of Japan highlighting Kyoto — the production region of Kyoto wares such as Kiyomizu-yaki, Kyō-yaki and Raku-yaki

Aka-raku (赤楽) or Red Raku is one of the main styles of raku pottery. These are traditionally glazed in a transparent lead-based glaze (though modern formulations vary and lead-free recipes are now common), before being fired at a lower temperature of around 700-900°C and allowed to cool slowly. The colour of aka-raku bowls can vary from a vibrant red, with white and black colour variations, to a more muted orange or pink. Typically, this colour comes from the clay itself, with the glaze merely being clear, however in many more affordable modern aka-raku chawan, the glaze itself may be tinted red.

Pictured here is Tarobo, one of the original Aka-raku chawan attributed to Chōjirō. Earlier aka-raku chawan like this were much less vibrant than the modern style, which developed a few decades later.

Made by Sasaki Shōraku (佐々木昭楽) of Shōraku Kiln (昭楽窯). This is the same Sasaki Shōraku that produces work signed (松楽), which is also read as Shōraku. Works stamped (松楽 - Shōraku) are more entry grade, whereas works stamped (昭楽 - Shōraku) are of a higher quality. The current kiln is located in Kameoka, Kyōto and was built in 1944. That same year, Sasaki Shōraku was born, and after studying under his father, he became Shouraku III: the third generation to carry the title. His work emulates the early raku wares of Chojiro and Hon'ami Koetsu. Today, both the 3rd and 4th generation potters of the kiln are famous for their raku bowls.

David and Sasaki Shōraku in a pottery studio with clay pots and a kiln.

Because of their porosity, raku chawan are very 'soft' and delicate. Before its first use, we highly recommend soaking the entire piece in warm water for 30 minutes, allowing water to enter and tighten the gaps in the clay, before air drying it completely. For additional strengthening, rice water (the cloudy water left when washing rice) can be used, with the tiny rice particles helping fill the gaps in the clay. Be sure not to let the bowl soak for too long as the clay might begin to soften.

For each subsequent use, soaking for a few minutes is all that is needed. At first the bowl will produce a clay odour, but this will disappear with time and repeated use.

Due to their porous nature, raku chawan should only be used for preparing matcha and not for holding any type of food.