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Japanese Ceramics
Exquisite and Functional
Japanese ceramics - Japan has a rich history in ceramics and pottery.
There are two key periods in
ancient Japanese pottery
,the Jomon and Yayoi period.
Japanese Ceramics are produced all over Japan. Each area well-known for a particular
pottery style
- for example,fine porcelain is produced in Akita. There are many parts of Japan which produce earthenware, for example clay teapots, teacups and tea bowls.
The influence of the
tea ceremony
in Japan since the 16th century, has helped to produce a variety of Japanese ceramics. These styles and designs can be seen all over Japan today.
Japanese Green Tea Teapots (Kyusu)
You can not appreciate Japanese ceramics, without learning about the Kyusu teapot.Most Japanese people own a Kyusu teapot. It is always used to brew green tea.
The Unique Design of the Kyusu
The Kyusu has a unique and easy-to-use design. Its handle is usually on the side of the pot, this allows the user to hold and pour from the teapot with one hand.
Most Kyusu teapots have a built-in strainer at the spout or in the body of the teapot. Alternatively they sometimes have a removable strainer. This allows the tea leaves to circulate freely around the teapot, giving maximum flavour, and leaving no tea leaves in your cup.
How many cups does it hold?
Kyusu pots come in various sizes. Some have a capacity of 1 cup (250mls). Others have a 2 cup capacity.
Generally, premium teas such as
gyokuro
are drunk from a 1 cup capacity kyusu. And the larger kyusu are used when drinking sencha, genmaicha, bancha and hojicha.
Japanese Teacups (Yunomi)
Another well-known tradition in Japanese Ceramics is Japanese teacups (or yunomi). They are often made from both porcelain and earthenware. As green tea is usually drunk in small quantities, the teacups are usually small.
The capacity is usually a ½ metric cup (125mls, 4oz.). Teacups for drinking gyokuro are often even smaller. Teas such as gyokuro and sencha are usually drunk from a porcelain cup.
Whereas teas made using a hotter water temperature such as genmaicha, bancha and hojicha are often drunk from teacups made from earthenware.
Japanese Tea Bowls (Chawan)
Tea bowls are used to drink matcha (powdered green tea) in the Japanese tea ceremony.
Designs and Styles
Tea bowls come in a variety of shapes, designs and sizes. Some styles and shapes are instantly recognizable as coming from a particular part of Japan.
More ornate and decorative bowls are usually used in Summer and Spring. Whereas deeper bowls with muted colours are often used in the Winter months, or when drinking ‘thick’ matcha.
A tea bowl is ideal to enjoy matcha from, as it is easy to whisk the tea.
The Origins of the Tea Bowl
Sen no Rikyu a renowned tea master (who lived between 1522-91), is attributed with being the first to design and make a specific bowl to be used in the tea ceremony.
Rikyu’s bowls (also known as Raku), were made from earthenware. He used red and black glaze for the bowls which were shaped by hand.
A student of Rikyu’s Furuta Oribe developed his own ceramic style, and often used black glaze. Oribe also made bowls which were often distorted in shape.
These are just a couple of the tea masters whose original tea bowl designs are still used today.
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