Japanese Matcha Bowl - Vintage Biwa-iro Hagi-yaki Chawan

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Regular price $148.00
Regular price Sale price $148.00
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  • Vintage. Made in Japan
  • Ships from the United States
  • Low stock - 1 item left
  • Backordered, shipping soon
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This exquisite Hagi-yaki chawan (matcha bowl) has gentle rokurome (ろくろ目 - potters' wheel marks) which shows the flow of the potter's fingers as he shaped the piece on the wheel. Atop the iron-rich clay, this chawan sports a lovely biwa-iro (枇杷色 - loquat-coloured) glaze.

Like most Hagi ware, this chawan is porous and will absorb water and tea and change colour over time. Before its first use, we recommend soaking the entire piece in warm water for at least two hours to dislodge any dust. This also allows water to fill the cracks and pores, slowing the rate at which tea stains the clay. Slowing the staining process allows the colour change to progress naturally and beautifully. With each subsequent, we suggest rinsing the bowl with hot water before preparing tea in it, as you would with any chawan.

Hagi-yaki (萩焼) is a type of Japanese pottery that comes from the town of Hagi in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan and dates back over 400 years. Some of the oldest Hagi-yaki pieces have been declared National Treasures of Japan. The natural warm hues of its clay, along with the simple lines of its forms are highly valued within the traditional aesthetics of many tea ceremony schools.

Hagi ware is said to improve with age as the tannins in the tea slowly stain the fine cracks in the glaze (called crazing or kan-nyuu), creating a rich texture known as 'nanabake', or 'the 7 transformations'. Because of this slightly porous nature, some people like to dedicate their Hagi ware to one type of tea, such as sencha, to avoid having other aromas seep into the clay.

Dimensions:

13.5cm (5.3in) - width
7.7cm (3in) - height
400ml - capacity

Condition: Excellent

This vintage Japanese item ships from the United States

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