Straw white glaze tea bowl Nishidansei

Width: 14.6cm Depth: 13.2cm Height: 10.8cm

Straw white glazed tea bowl (warajiroyu chawan) by Nishibata Masashi - A rustic beauty and formative beauty hidden in the tranquility of snow-white

The refined beauty of pure white straw-white glaze

The straw white glaze that encases this piece has a pure white texture reminiscent of fresh snow, but also has reddish brown spots here and there. The iron in the straw ash works in harmony with the flames to create a natural scene, and it gives a sense of depth that goes beyond mere "white". The subtle shadows emerge from the clear white, creating a sense of both tranquility and tension, which is a major attraction.

The beauty of the shape created by the chamfered triangular edges

The gentle triangular composition that continues from the inside to the body is an original form born from Nishibata Tadashi's many years of research. The ridges, which are neither too sharp nor too soft, give the entire bowl a rhythm, and when you hold it in your palm, your fingertips naturally follow the surface to stabilize it. Another highlight is that the light casts shadows according to the angle of the chamfer, and a different expression appears each time you look at it.

A bold design that no one has ever attempted before

While respecting the traditions of Tamba ware, such a bold combination of beveling and pure white glaze is extremely rare. High technical skill is required to control the angle and depth of the beveling and the thickness of the glaze, and it cannot be achieved without a skillful firing design that reads the movement of the flame. Nishihata Tadashi has breathed new possibilities into traditional Tamba ware, elevating the tea bowl to a "sculptural presence."

A fusion of overwhelming presence and elegance

Despite the dynamic shape of the sharp angles and curves, the straw-white glaze that covers the surface is bathed in soft light, giving the piece an overall elegant and tranquil impression. Under the subdued lighting of a tea ceremony, the contrast between the white and reddish brown stands out even more, drawing the attention of guests.

Beauty with practicality

This piece is designed not only as a work of art to be appreciated, but also as a vessel to be used. The slight undulations on the rim make it soft to the touch, and the triangular surface on the inside makes it easier to maintain the rhythm of turning the tea whisk. The lightness and stability when you hold it in your hand make it perfect as a tea bowl for everyday use, and you can enjoy the process of the straw white glaze becoming more expressive the more you use it.

A crystallization of traditional techniques and innovation

This work, which respects the simple earthenware and ash glaze techniques handed down in Tanba ware, has achieved a form and glaze scenery that no one has attempted before, making it a bowl that truly stands at the nexus of tradition and innovation. It brings out the infinite expressions hidden in the color white, and reinterprets the sensibility of "wabi-sabi" in the tea ceremony in a modern form.

Enjoy watching with friends

The shifting shadows created by the beveled edges and the fresh appearance of the straw white glaze bring new discoveries every time you change the angle. If you talk while turning this tea bowl at a tea ceremony, you will be able to share the various expressions that appear depending on the angle and the way the light hits it, making your once-in-a-lifetime moment even more colorful.

A masterpiece to be cherished forever

With repeated use, the straw white glaze develops minute crazing and changes in color, and the experience of the tea ceremony is engraved directly into the piece as its history. The process of harboring history within the white is what makes this piece a beloved piece for generations to come. We are confident in recommending this piece as a unique piece that hints at the future of Tamba ware and will be treasured for a long time.

Masashi Nishibata Biography

Born on February 24, 1948. Started making pottery in 1969. 1976. Hyogo Prefectural Exhibition Encouragement Award. 1986. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition for the first time. 1988. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japan Crafts Association President's Award. 1989. Selected for the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, Handon no Kai, Nogawa Memorial Award. 1991. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Selected for the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition. 1992. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition, Excellence Award, Hyogo Prefecture Emerging Artist Encouragement Award. Invited to exhibit at the NHK-sponsored Paris-Japanese Ceramics Now 100 Selections, Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition. 1993. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Solo Exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima Store, Kyoto Chemin. 1994. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Solo Exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store. 1995. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Solo Exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima Store. 1996. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Awarded the Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition, solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
1997 Encouragement Award at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition 1998 Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition 2000 Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Fukuoka 2001 Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition at Gallery Dojima 2002 Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Solo exhibition at Gallery Dojima 2003 Solo exhibition at Santa Fe Touchingston, USA 2004 Father and son exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima store Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition 2005 Exhibited at Akashi City Museum of Culture and Hyogo Ceramics Exhibition Purchased Akadobedai, Hyogo Ceramic Art Museum Solo exhibition at Gallery Dojima Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi 2006 Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Japan Society Gallery of New York Solo exhibition at Takashimaya Yokohama Touchingston, USA Father and son exhibition at Takashimaya Matsuyama 2007 Toshun-kai Exhibition, Sogo Yokohama Encouragement Award at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition 2008 Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition Solo Exhibition, Yokohama Takashimaya Mitsukoshi Main Store, Santa Fe, Touchingston, USA Toshun-kai Exhibition, Funabashi Seibu Sogo Hiroshima Invited to exhibit at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition 2009 Solo Exhibition, Gallery Dojima, Sendai Mitsukoshi 2010 Sogo Kobe Exhibited at the Musee Tomo Grand Prize Exhibition, Contemporary Tea Solo Exhibition, Yokohama Takashimaya Touchingston, USA, Santa Fe, 2011 Invited to exhibit at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition Solo Exhibition, Joan B. Marvis, New York, USA Invited to exhibit at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition 2013 Exhibited at the Musee Tomo "Contemporary Famous Bowls" Solo Exhibition, Mitsukoshi Main Store, Santa Fe, USA Miyazaki Gallery, Sogo Kobe Chiba Sogo 2014 Solo Exhibition Solo Exhibition, Mitsukoshi Main Store, Santa Fe, USA 2015 Received the Hyogo Prefecture Cultural Award in 2016. Exhibited at Higashihiroshima City Museum of Art for Ceramics that Color Our Lives - Food Wares. Exhibited at Joan B. Marvis' 40th Anniversary Exhibition in 2017.
Solo Exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in 2018

A conversation with Masashi Nishibata