Stone mill incense holder by Rakusai Onishi

Width: 6.4cm x 6.4cm Height: 6.0cm

Stone mill incense holder (Ishiusu-kogo) Made by Rakusai Onishi

--A palm-sized water grinder that brings out the aroma of ground tea--

This piece has a wooden lid.

1. Overview of the work

This is a millstone-shaped incense container made by Akahada-yaki maker Onishi Rakusai of Yatsushiro, Nara. Although it is a small piece measuring approximately 6.4 cm in diameter and 6 cm in height, it faithfully replicates the three-layered structure of a millstone, consisting of an upper stone, a lower stone, and a base, with the upper stone acting as a wooden lid to hold incense paste and pieces of aloeswood.

2. Shape and design

3. Glaze tones and techniques

Pale yellow-gray glaze
A glaze made mainly of feldspar and wood ash is applied over the entire surface, and the piece is reduced and fired at around 1240 degrees Celsius to produce a soft honey color. The crazing that occurred during firing creates a fine mesh pattern, reminiscent of the rough surface of a millstone.

Texture of Akahada clay
The iron contained in the clay gives the glaze a faint reddish hue, and combined with the rough texture of the stone powder, it expresses the wabi-sabi charm of a well-used mill.

Molding <br data-start="799" data-end="802">The base and body are molded into one piece on a potter's wheel, and when the piece is half dry, the lid is cut and divided. The surface of the lid is then scored before being bisque fired to maintain the sharpness of the engraved marks.

4. Stone mills and the tea ceremony

The stone mill that grinds tencha tea to make matcha is the "main character behind the scenes" that supports the origins of tea ceremony. The fine powder created by the rotation of the mill is the key to bringing out the maximum aroma and sweetness of the tea, and in the world of tea ceremony, it has even been said that "if the mill stops, so does the way." Since the matcha method was established in Zen temples from the Kamakura to Muromachi periods, stone mills have been respected as the nexus of Zen, tea, and agriculture, and have been favored as a design for incense containers since the early Edo period.

5. Arrangements at the tea ceremony

6. Mr. Onishi Rakusai's ceramics philosophy

Onishi Rakusai believes in "the history and auspiciousness of Nara in tea pottery in the palm of his hand," and in addition to themes related to Yamato such as deer, temple bells, and shibo, he is also enthusiastically working on stone mills, which symbolize the true essence of tea. In this piece, he has harmonized the warm texture of the akahada clay with the simple functional beauty of the stone mill , creating an elegance that makes it seem as if you can hear the rhythm of tencha tea just by holding it in your palm.

7. Summary

The "Stone Mill Incense Container" is a masterpiece that condenses the stone mill that is the source of matcha in the palm of your hand, evoking the origins of tea along with the aroma of incense smoke. Every time you open the lid, the gentle aroma that rises will remind you of the mill turning, allowing your guests to experience the "time and space of grinding tea." Please enjoy the neat design unique to Onishi Rakusai and the soft glaze of Akahada ware at tea ceremonies in every season. Please also enjoy the interesting wooden lid.

A conversation with Rakusai Onishi – High-end pottery specialty store [Amagi-do]