Shino matcha tea bowl by Yanashita Hideki

Width 12.8cm x 12.3cm Height 9.2cm

Even though it is wrapped in soft white, there is a hint of quietly burning scarlet.
Shino Tea Bowl by Yanagishita Tokiki is a work that quietly yet powerfully carves out the infinite world of white. Born in the Momoyama period, Shino ware is known as the first pottery in Japan to feature white as its dominant color. Its essence lies in the questions, "What is white?" and "What scenery can we find in white?" This work is Yanagishita's own response to these questions, a bowl that quietly blends the traditions of Shino with a modern sensibility.

The flow of feldspar glaze depicts the movement of white

The feldspar glaze on this tea bowl is generously thick, yet not at all heavy, gently enveloping the entire vessel.
While the color white can sometimes appear inorganic, this piece displays a "flow of white." The traces of the applied glaze become the design itself, and the pools of glaze and traces of runoff, like traces of melting snow, quietly paint the scenery of the vessel.

White is inherently a color that is not stained by any other color. However, the white of this tea bowl has a variety of expressions, and its meaning softly changes depending on the angle and light from which it is viewed.

A dialogue created by the scarlet and white margins

The body of the ware, which has a strong earthen color, beautifully displays the distinctive Shino scarlet color. This color is born when the vessel and fire come into contact during firing, and can truly be called the "memory of the flame." This scarlet color, which develops from the iron-rich clay, is not merely decorative; it is like an inner life that emerges from deep within the vessel.

The thick white glaze then cuts into the scarlet. This contrast gives depth and rhythm to the tea bowl's design, creating a mysterious harmony that seems to suggest the coexistence of fire and snow. Beneath the glaze is a quiet accent that draws the eye. It adds a poetic touch, like the shadow of withered grass or a twig swaying in the wind.

The aesthetics of touching the soil

The clay, which is mainly made of Goto-jinji clay and mixed with Hyakuso clay and loess, contains small stones and has a simple yet profound appearance. The fine bubbles that appear on the surface and the bumpy texture feel soft and comfortable in the palm of your hand, allowing you to feel the power of the clay both visually and tactilely.

This particular piece is fired to a slightly pale color overall, highlighting the whiteness of the traditional Shino glaze while quietly revealing the transparency and thickness of the glaze, as well as the ironwork and earthen scenery hidden within.

Life dwells in silence

At first glance, Yanagishita Tokiki's works appear quiet and modest. However, they certainly contain the "living earth" and "burning fire," and when the user holds one of his vessels, their presence wells up from within.

The Shino tea bowl also has a mysterious allure that makes it impossible to look away. This is because the vessel speaks to you. The light reflected in the glaze pools, the time contained in the scarlet bleed, the quiet heartbeat of the clay...
All of these factors make this tea bowl not just a "white vessel" but a "vessel that tells a story."

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