Yakushiji Temple East Pagoda Foundation Clay Ash Glazed Tea Bowl by Rakusai Bisai

Width: 13.2cm Height: 7.9cm

Ash-glazed tea bowl made from clay from the base of the East Pagoda of Yakushiji Temple - By Rakusai Onishi

1. Clay - Ancient soil that holds 1,300 years of prayer

This piece uses old clay collected during repairs to the base of the East Pagoda of Yakushiji Temple, a renowned pagoda dating back to the Nara period. Rich in iron and silica, this clay recrystallizes over time, and even after firing, the quartz grains sparkle like stardust. Onishi Rakusai skillfully blends the old clay with rough Shigaraki clay, imprinting the history and profound texture of the ancient pagoda into the clay itself.

2. Ash glaze and kiln change - Moss-green landscape with blue-white drops running

The ash glaze covering the exterior is a homemade glaze made from a mixture of straw ash, feldspar, and wood ash.

The entire surface is olive green, reminiscent of moss.

The iron along the rim turns the cup a copper-red color.

Below the rim, milky white droplets run like lightning, creating a triple scene. The blue-white glaze drips are a coincidental creation born from the flames, evoking lightning shining through an overcast sky or a moon shining through clouds on a tower at night.

3. Shape: A graceful bowl-shaped structure that reflects the ancient pagoda

The bowl-shaped design, with its slightly curved rim, is reminiscent of the silhouette of the Yakushiji pagoda stretching into the sky. Five wheel marks are engraved on the body, forming horizontal lines reminiscent of the stonework of the ancient pagoda's base. The glaze is cut around the base, revealing the reddish-purple color of the fire reflections, highlighting the contrast between the clay surface and the glaze.

4. Ease of use and practical beauty

The fine sand on the outer surface provides a pleasant friction to the fingers, and the glossy ash glaze layer reflects complex light in response to the movement of the palm. A thick layer of ash glaze accumulates on the inside, and the pale milky white gently envelops the green of the matcha. The whisk hits it smoothly, and the bubbles are finely and evenly distributed, demonstrating excellent practical performance.

5. Cultural and symbolic significance

The East Pagoda of Yakushiji Temple has continued to preserve the flame of Buddhism through repeated reconstruction and repair. This piece, made from the soil of its foundation, embodies the spirit of regeneration: "embrace the past and revive it anew." The moss-green appearance of the ash glaze evokes the moss that covers the stone walls and pagoda body over the ages, inviting eternal prayer and tranquil moments into the tea ceremony.

With milky drops running through the moss-green ash glaze, a shining copper rim, and 1,300 years of prayer inherent in the clay itself, Onishi Rakusai's "Yakushiji East Pagoda Foundation Clay Ash Glazed Tea Bowl" is a gem that simultaneously holds history and the coincidence of flame in the palm of your hand. When placed at a tea ceremony, guests will be able to contemplate Yamato's ancient pagoda through the matcha and savor the story of its quiet rebirth.

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