14 Straw Ash Glazed Autumn Night Tea Bowl by Kosai Miyagawa

Height: 7.0cm Width: 12.0cm

This matcha bowl symbolizes autumn evenings, and its beautiful design of Japanese pampas grass evokes the atmosphere of autumn. The Japanese pampas grass on the bowl skillfully expresses the deepening of autumn and the quiet atmosphere of nights, and its delicate design enhances the dignity of this tea utensil.

"Autumn Night" and "Autumn Night" as Seasonal Words

"Autumn Night" is a seasonal word for autumn, and describes the atmosphere of a calm autumn night. On the other hand, "Autumn Night" is a seasonal word for summer, and refers to the autumn atmosphere felt at the end of summer. With these seasonal words as a background, the "Autumn Night Tea Bowl" with a depiction of Japanese pampas grass beautifully expresses the seasonal feeling of autumn. This difference is based on the Japanese seasonal almanac; for example, "Japanese Seasonal Almanac" (edited and written by Kiyoko Utada) introduces "Autumn Night" as a summer seasonal word. Also, "Kadokawa Haiku Dai Saijiki Summer" explains that "Autumn Night" has been used as a summer seasonal word before the beginning of autumn. "Autumn Night Tea Bowl", created with these cultural backgrounds in mind, is a dish that gives a sense of the deepening of autumn.

The characteristics and beauty of straw ash glaze

This tea bowl is covered entirely in the straw ash glaze that has been passed down through generations of the Miyagawa Kosai family. The straw ash glaze is a soft, bluish milky white glaze that is characterized by its mellow texture and warm surface. This glaze is one of the important techniques in Makkuzu ware, and it gives the tea bowl elegance and elegance. Depending on the clay used and the firing temperature, the straw ash glaze can take on different tones, from a cool bluish-white to a warm reddish hue. In the "Autumn Night Tea Bowl," the silver grass pattern harmonizes with the pale glaze color, creating the atmosphere of a quiet autumn night. It is these delicate colors and textures that are the unique charm of Makkuzu ware.

The tradition of Makuzu ware and the skills of the Miyagawa family

Makkuzu ware is a culmination of traditional Kyoto ware techniques, with the "straw ash glaze" being one of the most important techniques. This glaze was originally used by Nonomura Ninsei and was further developed by Miyagawa Chozo, becoming synonymous with Makkuzu ware. Miyagawa family artisans have been making ware for over 200 years, adding to this glaze and passing on the beauty of the straw ash glaze to the present day. The history of Makkuzu ware dates back to the Jokyo era of the Edo period, and it symbolizes the tradition that the Miyagawa family has built up over more than 330 years. Yukan Miyagawa Kobee Masakazu set up a kiln in Kyoto, and Makkuzu ware has developed from there. The Miyagawa family continues to make pottery that meets the needs of the times, focusing on tea utensils and sencha tea utensils, and their techniques have been passed down from generation to generation.

Significance and Evaluation as Tea Ceremony Utensils

The "Straw Ash Glazed Autumn Night Tea Bowl" is a tea ceremony utensil that incorporates the atmosphere of autumn and is suitable for use at tea ceremonies. The silver grass pattern and the soft color of the straw ash glaze will help create the atmosphere of an autumn tea ceremony. In addition to its practicality as a tea bowl, it is also highly valued as a work of art, making it a very attractive piece for tea ceremony enthusiasts.

International recognition and inheritance for the future

Miyagawa Kosai's Makuzu ware is highly regarded both in Japan and overseas, and the "Wara-Ashi-Glazed Autumn Night Tea Bowl" is one example. His works are housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum (London) and the Permanent Mission of Japan to UNESCO (Paris), and are attracting attention from tea ceremony fans around the world. The tradition of Makuzu ware will continue to be passed down to future generations. This piece combines the quiet beauty of an autumn night with the elegance unique to Makuzu ware. The Japanese pampas grass pattern and straw ash glaze are in harmony, and it is highly regarded both as a tea utensil and as an aesthetic piece. This tea bowl, which preserves tradition while also having value for the future, will be an indispensable item for tea ceremony enthusiasts.