MATCHA BOWL
YUTEKI-TENMOKU 油滴天目

Tenmoku 天目

A type of Japanese pottery and porcelain that imitates Jian stoneware from China, Tenmoku takes its name from the Tianmu Mountain temple in China where iron-glazed bowls were used for tea, a style that became popular during the Song dynasty (960-1279). These bowls are said to have been introduced to Japan during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) where they were to become highly prized in the tea ceremony. Eventually the style was also produced in Japan, notably in Seto: one of Japan’s legendary Six Ancient Kilns or Rokkoyou. Made of feldspar, limestone and iron oxide, tenmoku glazes can range in colour from black to brown, yellow and plum; the quicker a piece is cooled, the darker the resulting glaze.

Yūteki Tenmoku 油滴天目

One of the most admired Tenmoku styles, yūteki literally means “oil spot”. Looking into a Yūteki Tenmoku tea bowl is like gazing at a starry night sky: with sparkling crystal spots scattered across an ultra glossy jet-black glaze. A notoriously challenging technique to master, the floating oil-like spots are achieved through overloading the glaze with iron, which forms little glass droplets during phase separation that burst when they come up to the surface.

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.