Shino matcha tea bowl by Yanashita Hideki

Width 12.8cm x Height 9.2cm

Although enveloped in soft white, there is a hint of quiet burning scarlet.
Shino Tea Bowl by Toki Yanagishita is a work that quietly but powerfully carves out the infinite world of white. Born in the Momoyama period, Shino ware is known as the first pottery in Japan to feature "white" as its main color. Its essence lies in the questions, "What is white?" and "What scenery can we find in white?" This work is also Yanagishita's own response to these questions, a bowl that quietly fuses the tradition of Shino with a modern sensibility.

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The movement of white depicted by the flow of feldspar glaze

The feldspar glaze on this tea bowl is thick and generous, yet does not feel heavy at all, as it gently envelops the entire vessel.
While the color white can sometimes appear inorganic, this piece shows us a "flow of white." The traces of the glaze become the design itself, and the pools of glaze and the traces of runoff, like traces of melting snow, quietly depict the scenery of the vessel.

White is inherently a color that is not stained by any other color. However, the white of this tea bowl has various expressions, and its meaning changes softly depending on the angle and light from which it is viewed.

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A dialogue created by scarlet and white margins

The body of the ware has a strong earthy color, and the beautiful scarlet color that is unique to Shino ware is clearly visible. This color is born when the vessel and fire come into contact during firing, and it could be called the "memory of the flames." This scarlet color, which appears red from the clay containing iron, is not merely decorative, but is like an inner life that emerges from the depths of the vessel.

And then there is the thickness of the white glaze that cuts into the scarlet. This contrast gives depth and rhythm to the shape of the tea bowl, creating a mysterious harmony that makes it seem as if fire and snow coexist. Beneath the glaze is a quiet accent that draws the eye. It adds a poetic touch, like the shadow of dead grass or a twig swaying in the wind.

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The aesthetics of touching earth

The clay, which is mainly made of Goto-kishin-do clay and mixed with Hyakuso-do and loess clay, contains small stones and has a simple yet profound appearance. The fine bubbles that appear on the surface and the bumpy texture feel soft and comfortable in the palm of your hand, allowing you to feel the power of the clay both visually and tactilely.

This piece in particular is fired to a slightly pale color overall, highlighting the whiteness of the traditional Shino glaze while quietly revealing the transparency and thickness of the glaze, as well as the iron painting and earthen scenery hidden behind it.

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Life in Silence

At first glance, Yanagishita Tokiki's works have a quiet and modest presence. However, they certainly contain "living earth" and "burning fire," and when a user holds a piece in their hands, their presence wells up from within.

The Shino tea bowl also has a mysterious attraction that makes it impossible to look away. This is because the vessel speaks to you. The light reflected in the glaze, the time contained in the scarlet bleed, the quiet heartbeat of the clay...
All of these factors make this tea bowl not just a "white vessel" but a "vessel that tells a story."

Hideki Yanashita Profile
Ceramicist 1967 –
Born in Tokyo, Yanagishita is currently based in Iga, Mie Prefecture. Fascinated by pottery from the Momoyama period, he embarked on the path of ceramics. After training in Shigaraki, he built his own anagama kiln in Iga, Mie Prefecture, and opened the Kanda Kiln. Under the tutelage of Sadamitsu Sugimoto, Yanagishita has been creating a wide variety of works , including Raku ware, Yakishime, Ido, and Oribe, while deeply exploring the world of wabi-sabi from his own unique perspective. An important theme in Yanagishita's creations is the quest for new heights , born from the incorporation of modern materials and unique approaches while deeply studying the techniques and spirit of his predecessors. His works question essential beauty that is timeless, and invite the viewer into a deeper world of art.

Base of operations : Iga, Mie Prefecture

A conversation with Toki Yanagishita