Rokkoyou tanba White Tea Bowl by Nishihata Tadashi

Width: 15.8cm Depth: 14.0cm Height: 10.4cm

Introduction

The white Tamba tea bowl is an intricate and elegant piece that stands out for its rare white color, which is especially unique among Tamba ware. Normally, the clay used in Tamba ware contains a lot of iron, which is why the color tends to be brownish or reddish after firing. However, this white Tamba tea bowl, created by Nishibata Tadashi, achieves a white color using traditional techniques and skilled craftsmanship, and its delicate and dignified beauty captures the hearts of those who see it.

The history of Shirotanba and the Kohiki technique

The unique white color of Shirotanba tea bowls is achieved by a technique called "Kohiki" that was invented in the late Edo period. The Kohiki technique uses clay that is high in iron, but by applying white mud, it is possible to create a beautiful white color on the surface. This technique gives Shirotanba a pure white surface like snow, giving it a beauty different from other Tamba ware. This white surface gives the entire bowl elegance and acts as a backdrop that further highlights the vivid green of the matcha.

Nishibata Tadashi has inherited this traditional Kohiki technique and further refined it. His white Tanba tea bowls are not just white, but have delicate cracks (crazing) on ​​the surface, and the natural changes caused by the temperature and environment of the kiln during firing create a rich expression that seems to be imbued with the power of nature. This technique gives the tea bowls a unique personality and depth, and the more you look at them, the more new discoveries you will make.

Beauty in harmony with nature

The white Tanba tea bowl is characterized by its beauty that blends in with nature. Its white surface is reminiscent of snowy landscapes and misty mountain scenery, and when matcha is made, it contrasts beautifully with the green of the tea. This color contrast brings a more tranquil and meditative atmosphere to the tea ceremony, giving the viewer a deep sense of spiritual peace. The white Tanba tea bowl is also one of the elements that allows you to feel the seasons in the tea ceremony. Its whiteness is particularly prominent in spring and winter, creating a calm and pure atmosphere at the tea ceremony. This tea bowl, which reflects the changing of the natural world, plays a special role in tea ceremonies and brings new sensations every time it is used.

Craftsmanship and unique artistry

The Shiratanba tea bowls made by Nishibata Masashi are not just works that preserve tradition, but also add a modern sensibility and artistry to them. The utmost care is taken in the making of the tea bowls, and each one is painstakingly crafted. In particular, with Shiratanba, while maintaining the beautiful white surface, attention is given to the overall balance and feel of the bowl, as well as ease of use at the tea ceremony. As a result of combining skilled techniques and the artisan's sensibility, Shiratanba tea bowls are loved by many people as masterpieces that combine practicality and artistry.

A special dish to brighten up your tea ceremony

The Shirotanba tea bowl makes the tea ceremony a special one. Its refined white color and smooth feel when you hold it in your hand make it an important element of the tea ceremony. In the tea ceremony, the tea bowl is not just a tool for making matcha, but its visual beauty, the feeling when you hold it in your hand, and even its presence are also important. The Shirotanba tea bowl beautifully fulfills these elements, creating an exceptional moment at the tea ceremony.

Its unique white color harmonizes beautifully with the green of matcha, further enriching the sensation of drinking tea. This tea bowl also evokes the changing of the seasons, evoking the whiteness of cherry blossoms in spring and snowy scenery in winter, so you can experience different emotions every time you use it.

A treasure that you can use for a long time

The beauty of the Shirotanba tea bowl deepens with time. The texture of the surface changes with use, and you will gradually grow to love it. As time passes with the user, the tea bowl will become even more tasteful, and it will surely be treasured as a masterpiece that can be used for a lifetime. Nishibata Masa's Shirotanba tea bowl is a work of lasting value, in addition to its value as a work of art, and its charm increases with long-term use. This work is a supreme tea bowl that perfectly combines traditional Tamba ware techniques with modern aesthetics. Its pure white color and the delicate expression created by the craftsman's skill will make your tea ceremony moment special, and it will become a lifelong treasure that you can use for a long time. By holding this tea bowl in your hand, you will surely feel a sense of unity with nature and timeless beauty.

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, New York, USA.
Solo Exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in 2018