Tanba ash-glazed tea bowl by Syusaku Ichino

Tanba ash-glazed tea bowl — Ichino Shusaku

(Height 7.8 cm x diameter 12.5 cm/12.0 cm, with original box)

Ichino Shusaku, a young and talented third-generation potter at Shozangama, approaches his pottery with a modest yet deeply held passion. He continues the traditional spirit of Tamba ware while pioneering new forms and glaze colors. This piece is an ash-glazed tea bowl that Ichino fired in a wood-fired kiln. The intricately blended ash and iron glazes transform in layers into deep black-brown, dull gray, indigo purple, scarlet, and ivory white, creating a landscape reminiscent of an abstract painting, moment by moment, painted by flame.

1. The wonder of glaze tones - improvised gradations created by ash glaze

The iron-rich clay body brings out the natural flavor of Tamba, and is then coated with ash and iron glazes before being fired for over 10 hours in a wood-fired kiln with a strong reducing effect. Meticulous temperature control induces kiln changes, resulting in a bold interplay of milky white streaks from ash flowing down and deep red and purple colors created by the seeping iron. The soot-black shadows that appear from the rim to the body are the exact traces of the flames enveloping the tea bowl. The hue changes every moment depending on the viewing angle and the intensity of the light, ensuring that guests at the tea ceremony will never tire of the sight.

2. Sculptural beauty - soft ridges created by hand twisting

After shaping on the potter's wheel, the inside and outside are lightly pushed out with the fingers, leaving uneven textures that make the tea feel familiar in the hand while also offering a variety of different looks. The rim is slightly open, creating an exquisite line that allows tea to flow smoothly onto the tongue when sipped. The base is cut low, allowing the red clay characteristic of Tamba to peek through, tightening the overall rich glaze.

3. Tradition and Innovation - The Challenge of the Third Generation of Shozo Kiln

While continuing the classic "ash glaze x reducing flame" technique established by the first Ichino Shozo, Ichino Shusaku is exploring the dramatic kiln changes that result from thick glaze application and rapid cooling. He combines the simple yet powerful texture of Tamba ware with a modern sense of color and abstract expression. His approach breathes new life into the classic format of the tea bowl - a true expression of the spirit of "Shu-Ha-Ri."

4. Spirituality - The inner flame entrusted to the silent creator

Ichino is usually a quiet man, but when he talks about his work, his gaze is as hot as the flames of a wood-fired kiln, and that passion is burned into this piece. The white from where the ash has flowed symbolizes "white space," the crimson symbolizes "hidden passion," and the soot-black color symbolizes "the silence inside the kiln," and the viewer is evoked by the "time of the flame" - this bowl is truly the embodiment of a dialogue between the heart and the flame.

5. Functional beauty - A beautiful view at the tea ceremony and practicality

The bulge of the body fits comfortably in the hand, and the thickness of the glaze provides ample heat retention. The pale cream-colored glaze on the inside of the body brings out the green of the matcha, creating a more dramatic "scene" when brewed. The box contains an inscription handwritten by Ichino, making it suitable for tea ceremonies as well as for personal collections.

Mr. Shusaku Ichino's biography (excerpt)

Born in Tamba Tachikui in 1986 .

Graduated from Kyoto Prefectural Pottery Technical College in 2010 .

In 2011, he was selected for the first time at the 40th Japan Traditional Crafts Kinki Exhibition (since 2012, 2013, 2015, etc.).

In 2012, he was selected for the 29th Tanabe Museum of Art's "Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition."

In 2014, he received the Encouragement Award at the same exhibition.

In 2015, he was selected for the 23rd Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, received the Excellence Award at the Tanabe Museum of Art, was selected for the 8th Contemporary Tea Ceremony Exhibition, and was selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition.

2017 Japan Crafts Association Kinki Branch Director's Award/Selected for the 64th Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition.

Selected for the 38th Tabe Museum of Art Hidemi Award/Kasama Ceramic Art Grand Prize Exhibition in 2021 .

Received the Japan Traditional Crafts Kinki Award at the 51st Japan Traditional Crafts Kinki Exhibition in 2022 .

He has held numerous solo exhibitions at Abeno Harukas, Shinjuku Keio Department Store, Kyoto Takashimaya, Nagoya Mitsukoshi, Daimaru Kobe, and others.

Regular member of the Japan Kogei Association

This work, born from the trinity of the Tanba earth, the flames of the wood-fired kiln, and the quiet passion of Ichino Shusaku, is a bowl that brings a "lingering feeling of embers" to the tea ceremony. Please enjoy the flickering colors of the ash glaze and the warmth that can only be achieved by hand-twisting it in the palm of your hand.