Straw white glaze tea bowl Nishidansei

Width: 13.5cm Depth: 15.0cm Height: 9.2cm

Straw white glaze tea bowl by Nishibata Tadashi - A dynamic form created by the falling snow white glaze and red clay

The drama of dripping straw white glaze

The greatest highlight of this work is the thick layer of straw white glaze that flows slowly down the exterior wall, creating a scene that looks like meltwater frozen at the moment it runs down the rock surface. The soft white color derived from straw ash allows the reddish brown of the base material to show through in places, creating complex shades and shadows. The unevenness that is naturally created by the sliding glaze represents a struggle between chance and necessity, and increases the visual tension as improvised brushstrokes painted by flame.

Swaying ridgelines in all directions - a sculptural form

While the overall shape is roughly square, the corners are gently pushed out and the edges sway like waves. The sharp angles and curved edges create a strong contrast depending on how the light hits them, and every time you turn the vessel, a new expression emerges. When you hold it in your palm, the chamfers on all four sides fit comfortably on your fingers, creating a wonderful balance between visual boldness and practical stability.

The wonderful texture of red clay

The strong reddish-hued Tanba clay used for the base peeks through the thin areas of the glaze and the gaps between the cracks, creating an even more striking contrast with the white glaze. The iron in the clay combines with the flames to produce a dark brown color, scattering dots on the snow-white surface, giving it a rustic feel reminiscent of sparks dancing in a forest at night. The pools, shrinkage, and bubble marks of the glaze near the bottom are evidence of the kiln transformation, capturing the moment when the clay and glaze come together at high temperature, breathing life into the vessel.

Functional beauty as tea ceremony utensils

The gentle undulations of the rim make it soft to the touch, and the ample depth ensures smooth movement of the chasen. The thick body slowly transfers heat, so even hot, strong tea stays at a gentle temperature in the palm of your hand. The base is cut low so it doesn't wobble on the table, and it fits comfortably into the casual atmosphere of modern tea parties.

The intersection of tradition and innovation

White straw ash glaze has been a familiar material for Shino and ash glaze ware since ancient times, but Nishibata Tadashi has chosen to apply a thick layer of red clay to bring out the dynamic dripping effect, thus breaking new ground in Tamba ware. The unique individuality of this piece is the way in which the traditional clay taste and innovative design coexist while competing with each other.

A landscape that develops over time

With repeated use, the fine crazing will gradually soak up tea, adding a warmth to the contrast between the white and red clay. The tea stains remaining in the valleys of the dripping glaze will take on a color similar to young grass sprouting on a mountainside after melting snow, imprinting the years of its owner on the vessel.

This straw white glaze tea bowl reflects motion with the dripping thick glaze, and stillness with the exposed red clay. Please treasure this masterpiece for a long time, as it will allow you to hold in your hand the scenery of snow, earth, and the gentle signs of spring, and will add a rich story to your once-in-a-lifetime tea ceremony.

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.
Solo Exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in 2018

A conversation with Masashi Nishibata