Yakushiji Temple East Pagoda Foundation Clay Ash Glazed Tea Bowl by Rakusai Bisai

Width: 14.1cm Height: 7.2cm

Ash-glazed tea bowl made from clay from the base of the East Pagoda of Yakushiji Temple - By Rakusai Onishi

1. Clay - Foundation soil that embodies the breath of 1,300 years

The clay used for this piece is "old clay" collected during repairs to the base of the East Pagoda of Yakushiji Temple, a famous pagoda built in the Nara period. Over the years, the silica and iron in the clay have recrystallized, leaving tiny mica and quartz grains scattered throughout. Onishi Rakusai blended this old clay with rough Shigaraki clay, elevating it to a rich earthenware flavor in which the quartz grains in the clay sparkle like stardust even after firing.

2. Ash glaze and kiln changes - Moss-green scenery painted by flames

The exterior is covered with a self-adjusting ash glaze, which is mainly composed of straw ash and wood ash. By firing at a high temperature with a slightly reducing effect,

Top : The ash glaze melts into a pale grayish blue, and silver-gray crystals emerge around the rim.

Middle : The iron in the glaze gives it a moss green color, and natural ash falls as glass droplets.

Underbelly : In areas where the flames hit hardest, the ash did not melt completely, leaving behind speckled dark brown, creating a three-layered gradation that, depending on the angle from which it is viewed, evokes the rain-soaked stone surface of an old tower or the moss-covered base.

3. Shape: A neat bowl-shaped structure reminiscent of the base of an ancient pagoda

The bowl shape, with its slightly curved rim, seems to reflect the silhouette of the tower body spreading out towards the sky. The three wheel marks remaining on the body create a rhythm reminiscent of the layering of the foundation stones, visually capturing the flow of the ash glaze. The base is finished in a slightly cut-edge style, allowing the red of the fire-reflecting pattern to peek through, creating a contrast between the simple red of the clay and the serene blue of the ash glaze.

4. Ease of use and functional beauty - practicality with a touch of wabi

The roughness of the outer surface, derived from the silica sand, provides a comfortable friction to the palm, and the inside is covered with a thick layer of ash glaze, forming a milky white glass layer. When matcha is brewed, the green color melts into the milky white surface like a mist, producing a fine, stable foam. The exposed base near the base allows heat to escape moderately, keeping the temperature comfortable for holding even in winter.

5. Cultural Significance: A Bowl of Tea that Savors Prayer and Rebirth

The East Pagoda of Yakushiji Temple is known as "frozen music," and has continued to preserve the flame of Buddhism for 1,300 years through repeated reconstruction and repair. Using the foundation clay is an act of capturing in the tea bowl the history of eternal prayer and rebirth. At a tea ceremony using this piece, the moment when sipping matcha becomes a "crossroads of time" that connects the past and the present, and guests will savor the cup with a feeling of quietly praying their hands together.

This piece is made using 100% clay from the Yakushiji Temple grounds, with all impurities thoroughly removed, and is characterized by its clear beauty. The clay has aged over time and is homogeneous, and when fired it acquires a clear luster, and when fired it takes on a gentle color reminiscent of old roofing tiles. Its smooth texture and resistance to warping are also appealing. The story of the clay, which embodies 1,300 years of history, brings a sense of peace every time you hold it in your hands. This is a special piece that combines material, beauty, and spirituality.

The moss-green ash glaze reflects the ancient pagoda after the rain, and the stardust-like quartz grains hidden in the clay evoke the night sky -- Onishi Rakusai's "Yakushiji East Pagoda Base Clay Ash Glazed Tea Bowl" is a gem that holds in the palm of your hand the natural symphony of earth, ash, and fire, as well as a thousand years of prayer. When placed at a tea ceremony, the green of the matcha gently ripples on the lake surface, and guests are enveloped in the lingering echoes of prayer that transcend time and space.

A conversation with Rakusai Onishi