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READING — GUIDE
Raku, Hagi and Karatsu; Shino and Oribe; tenmoku and ido. Three axes — lineage, kiln and shape — put the famous names in order.
Tea bowls fall into three great lineages by birthplace: karamono from China, kōraimono from the Korean peninsula, and wamono made in Japan. Chinese pieces once stood at the top of the hierarchy, but as wabi tea spread, the unadorned beauty of Korean and Japanese bowls won tea people's hearts.
One phrase worth remembering: "first Raku, second Hagi, third Karatsu" — the classic ranking of Japan's three beloved tea kilns.
KYOTO
Hand-built without a wheel and fired one at a time, created by Chōjirō for Rikyū's wabi taste. Black or red, light in the hand, wonderful to whisk in.
Plentiful study pieces make a fine first bowl.
YAMAGUCHI
Soft clay under a loquat-colored glaze. Tea seeps into its crackle and the bowl's face changes with use — "the seven disguises of Hagi."
Check how far the crackle staining has advanced.
SAGA
Gritty, forceful clay with rustic iron brushwork. E-garatsu, madara-garatsu, chōsen-garatsu — endless variety, never tiring.
Sturdy and easy to love for everyday bowls of tea.
MINO
Japan's first white ware: thick feldspar glaze blushing red where the fire touched. The National Treasure "Unohanagaki" is a Shino.
Its warmth suits the winter months.
MINO
Green copper glaze and daringly warped shapes, after the taste of Furuta Oribe — tea's great eccentric.
Distortion is the point; choose by how it sits in the hand.
KARAMONO
Iron-black Chinese glaze with starry or oil-spot effects. Only three yōhen tenmoku exist — all in Japan, all National Treasures.
Fine modern reproductions abound; stand versions rank formal.
KŌRAIMONO
Korean everyday bowls elevated by the tea eye: generous form, loquat glaze, and the shark-skin kairagi on the foot. The "Kizaemon Ido" is a National Treasure.
The kairagi shrinkage on the foot decides connoisseurs.
KYOTO
The polychrome elegance begun by Ninsei and Kenzan — four seasons painted on the bowl. A wide field of modern makers.
Match the painted motif to the season you'll use it.
| Hira (shallow) | Wide and open for summer — the tea cools quickly and looks cool too. |
|---|---|
| Tsutsu (cylinder) | Deep winter bowl that keeps the warmth in your hands. |
| Wan-nari | The standard bowl form, at home in any season. |
| Han-zutsu | Between the two — for the cool ends of spring and autumn. |
| Tenmoku-nari | The conical Chinese form, used in the most formal procedures. |
| Kutsu-gata | The warped "shoe" shape loved by Oribe — full of movement. |
If in doubt, begin with one wan-nari bowl; add the seasonal shapes later. The chawan basics page covers parts and secondhand checkpoints.