Matcha Bowl - Karatsu Ware
Karatsu ware chawan (茶碗 - tea bowl), for the preparation and enjoyment of matcha. With roots in Japan's centuries-old tea ceremony practices, the chawan is designed to enhance both the aesthetic and sensory experience of whisking and drinking matcha. Matcha is therefore both prepared in the bowl and drank from it.
The bowl was made by the 1st generation founder of Sougen Kiln, Yoshiaki Kojima.
- Bowl top diameter: 13cm
- Bowl height: 7.7cm
- Packaging: Wooden box with Japanese leaflet and cloth
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Karatsu ware (唐津焼, Karatsu-yaki) is a traditional style of Japanese pottery from Karatsu, in Saga Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu. It's known for its earthy, rustic beauty and understated elegance, often used for tea ceremonies and everyday ware. Common features include:
- Natural glazes (like ash or feldspar)
- Muted, warm colours—cream, brown, gray
- Brush-decorated designs like grasses, birds, or abstract motifs
- A focus on wabi-sabi aesthetics—beauty in imperfection
Karatsu ware dates back to the late 16th century and was heavily influenced by Korean potters.
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Sougen Kiln is based in Karatsu City, Saga prefecture. It was established by Yoshiaki Kojima in the late 1970s. His son and current head of the kiln, Naoki Kojima, recall how at age 12, in 1974, he started accompanying his father to ancient pottery sites in the region, where they would search for pottery shards and pieces in the Karatsu ware style. With the opening of their own kiln, the father and then the son began making pottery using techniques that were introduced to Japan more than 400 years ago.
As the second generation Kojima san reminds us: "There is a saying in Karatsu ware that says, 'The creator is 80%, the user is 20%.' It means that the product is truly completed not only when it is made, but when it is used. The idea is that pottery can only reveal its beauty when it becomes a part of our daily lives."