Nara tea bowl with Goki style painting by Rakusai Onishi

Width: 11.4cm Height: 8.8cm

This work by Onishi Rakusai is a bowl that can be described as a crossroads of ancient elegance and refinement, combining the bold Gokigata style, which originated from rice bowls of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, with a strip of Nara painting from the Momoyama period. It is a highly functional matcha bowl, while the design shines with its narrative quality that brings a sense of storytelling to the tea ceremony. Below, we will introduce its appeal in detail from five perspectives.

1. Beauty of form: The sense of volume and stability brought about by Goki form

Tension from the round body to the rim <br data-start="251" data-end="254">While the body is slightly taut, it tapers gently towards the rim, making it the ideal shape for creating an even foam when making matcha.

Sankawari Takadai (Cleft foot)
The base has a split in three directions. It retains the dynamic feel of Korean origins, and the fingers naturally rest on it, making it easy to handle. The sandy texture of the base gives a comfortable grip to the fingertips, supporting the movements of the tea ceremony.

The tranquility of pale celadon glaze <br data-start="441" data-end="444">A pale blue transparent glaze is applied to the lower part of the outer surface and the inner surface, with slight crazes that run through it like icy ice. The green of the matcha is softly reflected, creating a tranquil setting for the piece.

2. Nara-e Design: Scrolls unfolding in a strip

The Imperial Pavilion and Nobles <br data-start="564" data-end="567">The front depicts a nobleman in a red robe standing in a pavilion, evoking a scene from a Heian picture scroll. When the host passes around the dishes to the guests, he naturally catches the eye as the center of the story.

Flowering trees and bushes
The evergreen bushes and red-fruited flowering trees are rhythmically arranged to lightly connect the scenery. The scattered green "brushstrokes" are a color scheme designed to resonate with the green of matcha.

Gold-painted frame effect <br data-start="742" data-end="745">Gold-painted lines are drawn around the top and bottom band borders and the rim, tightening the design as if framing a picture scroll. The gold coloring adds just the right amount of elegance to the tranquility of the pale celadon glaze, enhancing its formality.

3. Techniques - The subtlety and softness of Kyoto ware

Iron painting lines and five colors
The outline is neatly pressed down with extremely fine iron paint, and the colors are the five traditional colors of verdigris, cinnabar, ochre, etc. The color temperature is gradually changed and the overglaze firing is done two or three times to optimize the color depth and luster.

Overlapping pale celadon glaze and painting <br data-start="969" data-end="972">The body is divided into two sections, with the upper section painted and the lower section finished in plain pale celadon glaze, creating a contrast of "stillness and movement" that is different from that of a gosu obi. Your eye is naturally drawn to the Nara-e obi.

4. Functional beauty at the tea ceremony

Matcha stands out <br data-start="1079" data-end="1082">The pale blue glaze on the inside reflects the matcha brightly, making the white and green gradation of the bubbles stand out clearly.

Room for storytelling <br data-start="1143" data-end="1146">As the scenery changes from noble people to trees to bushes each time the tea bowl is turned, the host can enjoy a conversation interpreting the "Nara Picture Scroll" for his guests.

Can be used in any season <br data-start="1222" data-end="1225">Because Narae motifs are not strictly limited to a particular season, they can be used in any season - the young grasses of early spring, the green maples of early summer, the autumn leaves, the quietness of winter - and can flexibly suit the style of the tea ceremony.

5. Historical and cultural significance

The Goki style is a Korean rice bowl that was introduced to Japan during the Momoyama period and was beloved by tea masters as a symbol of "wabi". Its bold form is adorned with Nara paintings, a symbol of court culture, allowing the dichotomy of "wabi" and "miyabi" to coexist in one bowl. This is an attempt to simultaneously reflect the "wabi-sabi" aimed for by Sen no Rikyu and the "kirei-sabi" pursued by Kobori Enshu, a comprehensive reinterpretation of Momoyama tea ware. Onishi Rakusai is building a bridge between the past and the present by adding a lightness that shines in modern tea ceremonies while still respecting the classics.

The power of the Goki style, the serenity of the pale celadon glaze, and the dynamism of the Nara-e obi - Onishi Rakusai's Goki style Nara-e tea bowl, which resonates with three layers of beauty, is a "moving picture scroll" that begins to spin a story as soon as it is placed at a tea ceremony. When you hold it in your palm, the aroma of matcha and the breeze of the ancient capital will blow, and the conversation with your guests will naturally deepen. It is a superb piece that combines the "beauty of utility" and "beauty of storytelling" that the tea ceremony seeks.

A conversation with Rakusai Onishi