Karatsu Earthen Tea Bowl Suwa Sozan

Width: 13.6cm Height: 7.3cm

This piece, "Karatsu Clay Tea Bowl," is a matcha bowl created by the fourth generation Suwa Sozan using traditional clay from Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, making the most of the original texture of Karatsu ware. Unlike the intricate porcelain expressions represented by celadon and white porcelain, this piece brings to the fore the simplicity and strength peculiar to the coarse clay known as "earthenware," as well as the warmth of the material itself.

Materials and Climate - The Charm of Karatsu Clay

The clay used is natural sandy clay mined from the Kishidake mountain range in Karatsu City. Karatsu clay is extremely unique, with a rough texture with little stickiness, and after firing it develops a warm reddish gray-brown color. It contains fine iron particles and iron lumps called Oniita (demon boards) throughout the clay, and one of its charms is that they are scattered throughout the fired clay, creating a unique look.

This type of clay has little plasticity and is prone to crinkling when shaped on a wheel or carved, but this is precisely why the clay's natural breath and the artist's handwriting are so clearly visible, giving the piece a rich, organic look.

Form and Function: The Fusion of Everyday Life and Tea

The shape of this piece follows the so-called well-shaped style, but its slightly high base and taut body give it a dignified appearance. The depth of the opening and the wideness of the rim are designed to be comfortable to use, without interfering with the movement of the tea whisk.

Sozan-sama truly embodies the spirit of Karatsu ware, which is said to be "eighty percent by the maker, two-thirds by the user." This tea bowl, shaped by earth and fire, is a vessel that is only complete when the user pours matcha into it, picks it up, and looks at it.

Harmony between beauty and practicality - the essence of beauty in utility

The greatest appeal of Karatsu ware is that it is not primarily about showcasing craftsmanship or gorgeous decoration, but is made with the premise that it will be "used." For this reason, it has come to be valued as a "supporting beauty" that harmonizes with other utensils at any tea ceremony and enhances the surrounding scenery.

This piece also has a design that brings out the vivid green of the matcha in the background, while the simple earthen surface adds a sense of calm and warmth to the space. The glaze is applied very sparingly, and the faint milky luster visible on the surface is likely a remnant of the ash that naturally appeared during firing. The aesthetic attitude of accepting this natural phenomenon and not trying to control it too much is the spirit of Karatsu ware and Sozan's creative belief.

History and Inheritance -- The Background of Karatsu Ware

Karatsu ware is said to have originated in the late 16th century, when Korean potters were brought over to Japan after Toyotomi Hideyoshi dispatched troops to Korea. As a result, it has a strong affinity with Korean ceramics, and the East Asian context remains strong in its decoration and design. In particular, the trend of placing importance on the taste of the earthenware matched the trend of wabi-cha tea at the time, and it was highly valued by tea masters such as Furuta Oribe and Kobori Enshu.

As the name "Karatsu" ("carat tsu"), which means that it flourished as a crossroads of different cultures, suggests, Karatsu is a cultural sphere of exchange and fusion, and Karatsu ware, which was born there, can be said to be vessels of "acceptance and creation." This piece by Suwa Sozan also respects tradition while presenting a new form of Karatsu ware that combines a modern sense of form and usability.

Conclusion: Beauty Returned to the Earth

The Karatsu Earthen Tea Bowl is not just a bowl. Its existence, shaped by facing the earth and talking to the fire, quietly speaks to us of our coexistence with nature and the preciousness of human handiwork. Suwa Sozan's careful gaze and respect for the materials rooted in the Karatsu climate are condensed into this single bowl.

Karatsu ware becomes more comfortable the more it is used, and its beauty deepens with age. Its simple yet tasteful appearance will calm the hustle and bustle of modern life and bring deep comfort to your daily tea time.