Before first use please soak in water for ten minutes as this will prevent it from staining easily. Each time after use, wipe off water and dry thoroughly before storing.
Japanese Tea Bowl
Benikase
Asahiyaki
SKU
5630
Yoshi En has recently grown out of Sunday Natural to become an independent premium tea store. As part of this transition, some products may still be shipped in Sunday Natural packaging.
Made of carefully selected red clay from Uji that has been aged for over 50 years, this charming grey matcha tea bowl has a spotted Benikase "red deer back" finish – a signature of the 400-year-old Asahiyaki kiln. Enjoy how the glaze slowly changes as it builds up a patina through regular use.
| Product | Grey tea bowl |
| Maker | Asahiyaki, ASAHIGAMA limited |
| Origin | Uji, Kyoto, Japan |
| Material | Uji clay |
| Glaze | Transparent |
| Dimensions | Ø12 x 7.2cm |
| Weight | 300g |
| Artist's Stamp | Yes |
| Packaging | Wooden box (kiribako) |
In stock
Producer
Located in the Uji region of Kyoto prefecture: Japan’s historic centre for tea cultivation, the Asahiyaki kiln has kept its fires burning for over 400 years, counting samurai to the reigning Imperial Family as clients. Established by Tosaku I on the cusp of the shift from the Momoyama to the Edo period, the kiln earned the sobriquet “Asahi” from none other than the celebrated tea ceremony master, Kobori Enshu. Not only do Asahiyaki continue to produce traditional matcha ceremony utensils, but since the 19th century as interest in sencha grew, they have also specialised in delicate porcelains for enjoying fine leaf teas. Most of their collections are fired in gas kilns, however a wood-fired climbing kiln is also in operation, affectionately named Gen'yō, which was built in 1975 as the world's first smokeless ascending kiln.
Chawan
The tea bowl, known as a chawan or matchawan, originated in China and began to be imported to Japan in the 13th century. To this day the chawan is used in the Japanese tea ceremony to serve koicha: a thick, dark tea made with the finest matcha, as well as usucha: a thinner, frothier, diluted version – or how matcha is more typically prepared. Chawan come in a variety of shapes and regional styles, sometimes with the addition of seasonal motifs, making them popular collectors' items.
