MATCHA BOWL
BEISHOKUJI

KYO YAKI 京焼 / KIYOMIZU-YAKI 清水焼

Kyo- and Kiyomizu-yaki are terms often used together or interchangeably for stoneware or porcelain pottery produced in the ancient imperial city of Kyoto, and are representative of a wide variety of different styles of ceramics. From 794 to 1603, Kyoto was the imperial capital and attracted the most skilled artisans in the country. Even after the seat of government was moved to Edo, now Tokyo, Kyoto remained the cultural and intellectual centre of Japan. As such, it attracted Japan's most skilled artisans, who were supported by the nobility as well as the purchasing power of the market. This gave Kyô-yaki a special status in Japanese ceramics and for a long time it even determined the style of the whole country. Typical Kyoto wares are decorated with colourful, hand-painted motifs using overglaze enamel pigments: a technique that emerged in the 17th century and is still a trademark of Kyo-yaki today.

Seiji 青磁 – Celadon

Literally “green porcelain”, or celadon as it has long been known in Europe, is a type of jade green pottery that originated in ancient China. The glaze, known as Seiji in Japanese, is an ash glaze containing iron oxide, which is reduction fired at temperatures of over 1,200 degrees celsius, resulting in colours that (traditionally) vary from blue to green depending on the iron ratio and firing methods. The technique spread to Korea, Southeast Asia and Japan – where powder blue funsei (粉青) celadon wares produced in China during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) were especially cherished. Like fissures on the ice of a frozen lake as Spring approaches, the cracking that appears on the surface of glazed ceramics is known as kan-nyu (貫入) and, is highly regarded for its aesthetic quality. This crackle appears as a result of the differing expansion and contraction rates between the base and glaze during firing.

This high-quality matcha bowl is best cleaned with lukewarm water. It should be hand-washed without the use of detergent. Rinse the bowl immediately after use and dry with a clean cloth. Matcha residue that remains in the matchawan too long can adversely affect the taste of future brews.

Do not put boiling water in the bowl.

If necessary, matcha or green tea leaves can be used for more intensive cleaning. To do this, take a handful of quality green tea (ideally Japanese sencha), steep the leaves for just a few seconds in 70°C hot water, then wipe the bowl thoroughly with them. The antioxidative power of the green tea will provide natural cleansing without affecting flavour. Matcha powder can also be used for this purpose.

Before the first use, we recommended rinsing the bowl several times with lukewarm water and rubbing it with green tea leaves or matcha, as described above. This will neutralise any odour that may be present in the new bowl.

Chawan 茶碗

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 – 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.