Iga kiln matcha tea bowl by Yanashita Hideki

Width 11.4cm Height 8cm

When the Iga clay awakens in the flames, the vessel begins to speak.
The Iga Kiln-Changed Tea Bowl by Yanagishita Tokiki is a work that could be described as "the landscape itself," born from the intersection of the memories of the earth from 4 million years ago and modern handicrafts. The scenery that appears by chance during the firing process is actually the crystallization of a meticulously calculated necessity, and the fact that each piece of pottery has a different expression is the very essence of Iga ware. Yanagishita's tea bowl, too, is clothed in a unique presence, woven together by flame and ash, glaze and clay, and time.

The Poetics of Kiln Change—Between Nature and Artificiality

"Kiln change" refers to unpredictable changes that occur on the surface of pottery during firing. Ash falls on the pot and fuses with the glaze, creating a glassy green color, and scorching, cracks, and splits appear as if by chance. However, this "chance" is also an "aim" that is already woven into the artist's intentions.

Yanagishita Tokiki's Iga Kiln-Varied Tea Bowl beautifully embodies the "beauty of change" that is born between nature and artifice. Within a single bowl, a rich landscape unfolds, with a fiery fire color, areas covered in white ash, and a surface resembling a deeply scorched darkness - it's as if the rain of time has soaked into the rocky surface of the mountains.

A vessel nurtured by earth and fire

The clay used for this piece is a strong clay from the ancient Lake Biwa layer in the Iga region. It contains pebbles and sand and has the ability to withstand the intense heat of the firing process, allowing the vessel to breathe from underneath the glaze.

The surface of the tea bowl is intentionally left uneven and distorted. It is a design that inherits the beauty of irregular harmony seen in "Ko-Iga" of the Momoyama period, but has been reconstructed by modern hands. By inserting his own body between the material and technique, he creates vessels that live in the flame.

Beyond Wabi-Sabi: The Heartbeat of Living Earth

Yasunari Kawabata praised Ko-Iga in his Nobel Prize-winning commemorative lecture, "The Beautiful Japan of Me." This work revives that spirit as "living pottery for the present." This piece embodies a "wild beauty" that goes beyond wabi-sabi. The ash and scorch marks are rather traces that give the vessel life, and the vessel exudes a living presence even before it is simply pottery. When you hold it in the palm of your hand, you can feel the temperature of the clay, the coldness of the glaze, the rough texture of the surface—all of these things can be felt through all five senses as the vessel "breathes."

A vessel that grows with time

The more you use it, the darker the glass becomes, and the light from the melted ash softens and changes. When you pour hot water into the bowl, it awakens with steam, and the color of tea seeps into the slight crazes, imbuing it with the owner's unique "expression." Rather than being a finished work, an Iga Kiln-changed Tea Bowl is "an entity that grows with time spent together." It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. With each use, the dialogue between the bowl and your heart deepens, eventually evolving into a "relationship."

Hideki Yanashita Profile
Ceramic artist 1967 –
Born in Tokyo, Yanagishita currently lives and works in Iga City, Mie Prefecture. Fascinated by pottery from the Momoyama period, he embarked on a career in ceramics. After training in Shigaraki , he built his own anagama kiln in Iga, Mie Prefecture, and opened the "Kanda Kiln." Under the tutelage of Sadamitsu Sugimoto, he delves deeply into the world of wabi-sabi from his own unique perspective, producing a diverse range of works, including Raku ware, Yakishime, Ido, and Oribe ware. An important theme in Yanagishita's creative endeavors is the pursuit of new heights , born from the incorporation of modern materials and unique approaches, while deeply studying the techniques and spirit of his predecessors. His works question essential beauty that transcends time and invite viewers into a deeper world of art.

Base of operations : Iga, Mie Prefecture

A conversation with Toki Yanagishita