Clay
Red, natural Banko clay
Rokuro
The components of lid and jug are hand-potted on the potter's wheel and then assembled to fit exactly (rokuro; 轆轤)
Glaze
Unglazed (yakishime; 焼き締め)
Shiboridashi Banko
Jitsuzan
SKU
4962
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.
Original Japanese handmade flat teapot made of Banko clay without handle by Master Jitsuzan, one of the greatest living Banko potters. Delivered in its original wooden box signed by the artist. 120ml
Type |
Shiboridashi (絞り出し) |
| Kiln | Banko Yaki (萬古焼) |
| Studio/Artist | Meister Itō Jitsuzan (伊藤実山) |
| Origin | Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, Japan |
| Capacity | 120ml |
| Recommended fill line | For optimal serving, it is recommended to fill only up to the last third of the vessel |
| Dimensions | 9 x 5cm |
| Weight | 460g |
| Clay | Natural Banko clay |
| Glaze | Unglazed (yakishime; 焼き締め) |
| Production | The lid was ground to fit the body (Suriawase technique; すり合わせ), a sign of originality from Tokoname |
| Artist's Stamp | Yes |
| Packaging | Wooden box signed by the artist |
In stock
Master Ito Jitsuzan
Born in 1937, Ito Jitsuzan is certified in traditional Japanese craftsmanship (伝統工芸士). He inherited the craft from his father and thus represents the second generation of Jitsuzan. He has won numerous awards, including the award for significant contribution to the intangible cultural heritage of Yokkaichi City. Ito Jitsuzan is also one of the few kyusu makers in Yokkaichi who still work with the traditional kata banko (型萬古) technique, in which the clay is applied thinly to wooden moulds and carefully separated after drying. Even though this method is very time-consuming and requires a lot of skills, Ito Jitsuzan feels that it conveys a delicacy that cannot be expressed on the potter's wheel.
SHIBORIDASHI 絞り出し
A shiboridashi is a traditional Japanese teapot especially conceived for smaller quantities of high-quality Japanese green teas. The teapot is made out of fired natural clay and is unglazed on the inside. When brewing green tea, the body reacts and brings out certain aromas. The tea can steep by floating freely in the pot.
Throughout history, there have been hundreds of ceramic centres in Japan, wherever the volcanic soil had rich clay deposits. Some are still active today, including the six most important "old kilns" (Rokkoyo): Bizen, Shigaraki, Seto, Echizen, Tamba and Tokoname. But also others, such as Karatsu, Hagi, Mino, Shino, Oribe, Setoguro Ki-Seto and Kyo-yaki, and for tea ceramics especially Banko in Yokkaichi.
They differ regionally according to the composition of the clay, the prevalent firing method, the handwork steps, decoration and glazing techniques and the fineness or deliberate coarseness of the production. Above all, the clay and the firing determine the flavourful character of the shiboridashi, i.e. which types of flavours of a tea are lifted or subdued by it. Therefore, tea lovers often have various shiboridashi of different qualities at home to enable the optimal preparation depending on the tea and its quality. Among the finest and most valuable shiboridashi are those made by well known artists who are not only famous for their special talents in making, shaping and decorating, but also for their own production of natural clay as well as their own firing techniques resulting in unique qualities.
Led by the living national treasures, the most highly awarded masters, there is a whole hierarchy of craftsmanship, ranging from studios that still draw on the reputation of past masters, young and wild studios, to family-run micro-enterprises that produce the bulk of everyday ceramics. Important collector's items are the vintage shiboridashi, which are still made entirely from now exhausted deposits of the highest quality natural clay of the respective region and thus achieve incomparable qualities in tea infusion.
Banko Yaki
Banko Yaki (萬古焼, Mie Prefecture)
This comparatively younger but still highly prized pottery comes from Yokkaichi in Mie, Japan, where it is being produced since the 18th century. Occurrences of a clay similar to that used for Chinese Yixing ceramics (Zisha Clay) enabled the use of similar manufacturing techniques as in China and the emergence of one of Japan's most important ceramic centres.
The original clay was exclusively yellow (the same as in Yixing) and became brownish-purple when fired. This was due to a particularly high iron content of about 6-7%. It could be fired at higher temperatures, around 1200°C. With the drying up of the original Banko clay since about the 1990s, potters mostly mix red clay with yellow clay, which is sourced by studios from different regions. Only vintage kyusu have 100% original clay from Yokkaichi.
A key characteristic of Banko Yaki is the strong reduction firing. It removes the oxygen from the clay and results in greater hardness and porosity. It is also responsible for the famous brown/purple colour with a special, almost metallic sheen. Banko clay is also known for its special properties in terms of taste and effect on Japanese green tea.
