Tanba ash-glazed tea bowl by Syusaku Ichino

Tanba ash-glazed tea bowl - Hidesaku Ichino

(Height 7.8 cm x diameter 12.5 cm/12.0 cm, with box)

Mr. Ichino Shusaku, who is modest but passionate about his work, is a talented young man who, as the third generation head of Shozogama, is inheriting the spirit of traditional Tamba ware while pioneering new forms and glaze colors. This piece is an ash-glazed tea bowl that he fired in a wood-fired kiln. The ash and iron glazes blend intricately together, changing in layers from deep black-brown to dull gray, indigo purple, scarlet, and ivory white, creating a landscape reminiscent of an abstract painting painted by flames moment by moment.

1. The wonder of glaze tones - Improvised gradations created by ash glaze

The iron-rich clay body brings out the earthenware of Tanba, and is then coated with ash and iron glazes before being fired in a wood-fired kiln with a strong reducing effect for over 10 hours. Careful temperature control induces kiln changes, resulting in a bold interplay of milky white streaks from ash running down and deep red and purple colors created by the seeping of iron. The soot-black shadows that appear from the rim to the body are the exact traces of the flames engulfing the tea bowl. The hue changes from moment to moment depending on the viewing angle and the intensity of the light, so guests at the tea ceremony will never tire of the sight.

2. Sculptural beauty: soft ridges created by hand twisting

After shaping on a potter's wheel, the inside and outside are lightly pushed out with the fingers, leaving uneven bumps, which allows the tea to be both comfortable to hold and offers a change of scenery. The mouth is slightly open, creating an exquisite line that allows the tea to flow smoothly onto the tongue when sipping. The foot is cut low, allowing the red clay unique to Tamba to peek out and tighten up the dense glaze of the entire piece.

3. Tradition and Innovation - The Challenge of the Third Generation of Shozogama Pottery

Following the royal road of "ash glaze x reducing flame" established by the first generation Ichino Shozo, Ichino Shusaku is exploring the rapid kiln changes caused by thick application of glaze and rapid cooling. He combines the simple and powerful texture of Tamba ware with modern color sense and abstract expression. His approach is nothing less than the spirit of "Shu-Ha-Ri" - breathing new life into the classical format of the tea bowl.

4. Spirituality - The inner flame entrusted to the silent creator

Ichino-san is usually quiet, but when he talks about his work, his gaze is as hot as the flames of a wood-fired kiln, and that passion is burned into this piece. The white where the ash has flowed away symbolizes "white space," the crimson represents "hidden passion," and the black soot represents "silence in the kiln," and the viewer is reminded of "the time of fire" -- this is a bowl that truly embodies a dialogue between the heart and the flames.

5. Functional beauty - A beautiful view at the tea ceremony and practicality

The bulge of the body fits comfortably in the hand, and the thickness of the glaze provides ample heat retention. The pale cream-colored glaze on the inside of the body brings out the green of the matcha, creating a more dramatic "scenery" when brewed. The box includes an inscription handwritten by Ichino-san, making it a suitable item for tea ceremonies as well as for personal collections.

Mr. Shusaku Ichino's profile (excerpt)

Born in Tamba Tachikui in 1986 .

Graduated from Kyoto Prefectural Pottery Technical College in 2010 .

Selected for the first time at the 40th Japan Traditional Crafts Kinki Exhibition in 2011 (followed in 2012, 2013, 2015, etc.).

Selected for the 29th Tanabe Museum of Art's "Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition" in 2012 .

In 2014, he received the Encouragement Award at the same exhibition.

In 2015, he was selected for the 23rd Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, received the Excellence Award at the Tanabe Museum of Art, was selected for the 8th Contemporary Tea Ceramics Exhibition, and was selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition.

2017 Japan Crafts Council Kinki Branch Director's Award/Selected for the 64th Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition.

Selected for the 38th Tabe Museum of Art Hidemi Award/Kasama Ceramic Art Grand Prize Exhibition in 2021 .

Winner of the "Japan Traditional Crafts Kinki Award" at the 51st Japan Traditional Crafts Kinki Exhibition in 2022 .

He has held numerous solo exhibitions at Abeno Harukas, Shinjuku Keio Department Store, Kyoto Takashimaya, Nagoya Mitsukoshi, Daimaru Kobe, and others.

Regular member of the Japan Crafts Association

This work was born from the trinity of the Tanba earth, the fire of the wood-fired kiln, and the quiet passion of Ichino Shusaku, and it is a bowl that brings a "lingering aftertaste of embers" to the tea ceremony. Please enjoy the flickering colors of the ash glaze and the warmth that can only be achieved by hand-twisting it in your palm.