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Mizusashi

水指 — Water Jar

The jar of fresh water that anchors the arrangement of the tea-making place.

Core utensilCeramics & moreAnchor of the display

Name & Types 名前と種類

NameMizusashi 水指 ("fresh-water jar")
MaterialsCeramic, bentwood, glass, metal
LidsTomobuta (matching) or nuributa (lacquered replacement)

History 歴史

The mizusashi began as kitchen ware promoted to the tea room. Shigaraki seed jars and Bizen pots taken up by "mitate" — the eye that finds beauty in the ordinary — express the wabi spirit perfectly.

From Chinese celadon to Shino and Oribe, bentwood and summer glass, no utensil offers a wider choice; it is selected to suit the season and formality of each gathering.

Parts 部位の名称

  1. 1
    Futa (lid)
    Matching or lacquered; each has its own handling
  2. 2
    Kuchi (mouth)
    Wide or narrow — affecting the ladle's reach
  3. 3
    Dō (body)
    The stage for the glaze landscape
  4. 4
    Soko (base)
    A stable seat on the tatami matters

How to Use 使い方

1

Placing

Carried out to the tea-making place, it composes the scene.

2

Adding water

Near the end, one ladleful refreshes the kettle.

3

Lids

Wipe lacquered lids dry; open matching lids gently, minding chips.

Buying Secondhand 中古で選ぶポイント

Lid damage

The lid suffers first — check for chips and re-lacquering.

Cracks & leaks

It holds water, so hairlines matter practically. Ask whether it has been water-tested.

Replacement lids

A lacquered replacement lid is common and no demerit in itself.

Box & provenance

A signed box or documented history lifts both display value and price.

Available Pieces この道具の在庫

Online Shop — Coming Soon

Once the shop is connected, pre-loved water jars available now will appear right here.