Cherry blossom tea bowl by Rakusai Onishi

Width: 11.7cm Height: 8.0cm

This is a gorgeous tea bowl with cherry blossoms in full bloom scattered all over it. With white and gold cherry blossoms blooming all over the bowl, it truly feels like you can hold "spring itself" in the palm of your hand. Below, we will explain its appeal from five perspectives: shape, design, technique, functionality in the tea ceremony, and cultural significance.

1. Shape and clay

Neat, rounded shape <br data-start="195" data-end="198">The rounded shape that rises gently from the inside to the rim has ideal proportions that allow the matcha foam to spread evenly.

Split high base <br data-start="263" data-end="266">The high base has a unique shape, giving it a sense of strength and stability reminiscent of Goki style ware. The reddish base has a slight sandy feel, which provides a comfortable warmth in the hand during tea ceremony.

2. Design - A combination of cherry blossoms and green trunks

Cherry blossoms blooming all over the surface <br data-start="396" data-end="399">The petals are raised in white, with the center and outline of the flower outlined in gold, and scattered flower dust in pale gold paint creates a scene of flower dust dancing in the wind. By covering the entire surface, a sense of volume is created that evokes "spring clouds."

Green tree trunk

The beautiful green trunk, created using the tare-shikomi technique found in Japanese painting, expresses the kindness of life, reminding us once again that trees are a universal presence for the Japanese people.

3. Techniques: A combination of Morie and gold leaf

Shiromori
A thick layer of paint, primarily white lead, is applied and then re-fired at a low temperature to give the petals a three-dimensional appearance and luster.

Kinrande
The line drawing and surface painting using gold paint are done in two stages, and the final step is firing at around 800°C to ensure a shine that is resistant to peeling.

Multiple firing <br data-start="783" data-end="786">Through this time-consuming multi-step process of overpainting → low-temperature firing → gold leafing → re-firing, the white, gold, and green colors are maintained vividly and permanently.

4. Functional beauty at the tea ceremony

Matcha-inspired <br data-start="874" data-end="877">The inside is uniformly glazed with a slightly bluish plain glaze, reflecting the green of the matcha like a mirror. The shadows of cherry blossoms and warblers swaying on the tea surface are reminiscent of flower rafts floating on the water.

Creating a seasonal feel <br data-start="973" data-end="976">This bowl looks its best from early spring after the first tea ceremony of the year through to the cherry blossom viewing season, but it can also be used in midsummer as a way to "reminisce about the distant spring," and can create a wide range of seasonal feelings.

5. Cultural and symbolic significance

Cherry blossoms are the essence of Japanese beauty, symbolizing the "pathy of things," and the grace with which they fall overlaps with bushido. In this work, the cherry blossoms are depicted in full bloom, visualizing the spirit of the tea ceremony, "appreciating the present moment." The nightingale is considered a spring bird that heralds good omens, and its combination with cherry blossoms is a quintessential spring image that has appeared repeatedly in ancient waka poetry and picture scrolls. This tea bowl reinterprets a traditional theme with a bold composition featuring full-body decoration, and exudes a freshness that will look great even in modern tea ceremonies.

The splendor of the cherry blossoms, expressed in white and gold, the strength of the base, and the dynamism of the bush warbler... This masterpiece condenses the joy of spring into a single bowl. When presented at a tea ceremony, guests will be able to enjoy the aroma of matcha and the view of cherry blossoms in full bloom, which will naturally bring a smile to their faces.

A conversation with Rakusai Onishi