Matcha Bowl - Zeze Ware
Matcha bowl in the Zeze-yaki style, made by Shinjō Iwasaki (1913-2009), the founder of the Zeze-yaki museum.
The bowl is glazed in two colours - a dark brown and light blue, which overlap in the middle. The shape of the bowl is called "Rice field-shaped tea bowl" and references the rounded edges and segmented geometry of rice paddies. Its indentations are positioned for the thumbs be carefully positioned while drinking matcha.
Zeze-yaki is a distinct regional style from Shiga prefecture, in the early 17th century. It almost disappeared, but was revitalised by the potter's father, Kenzo Iwasaki, in 1919.
- Top diameter: 12cm
- Height: 7cm
- Weight: 259g
- Packaging: Original wooden box, wrapped in a cotton fukusa (袱紗)
- Condition: Unused, retrieved from long-term storage
The story of Zeze-yaki
Zeze-yaki originated in the early Edo period in the Zeze Domain, located in present-day Ōtsu City, Shiga Prefecture, on the southern shore of Lake Biwa.
The style was developed under the patronage of Sadanaga Suganuma (1596–1659), the first lord of the Zeze Domain. Suganuma, who governed Zeze from 1621 to 1634, was an accomplished practitioner of the tea ceremony and is recorded to have studied under Kobori Enshū (1579–1647), a major tastemaker and aesthetic theorist of the period. With Enshū’s guidance, Suganuma established a kiln on the castle grounds to produce ceramics in line with the aesthetic preferences of the tea world. This pottery would later be known as Zeze-yaki.
Zeze-yaki quickly gained status as one of the Seven Kilns of Enshū (Enshū Nana Kama), an elite group of kilns associated with Kobori Enshū’s personal tastes and standards. The ware is noted for its refined shapes, modest colouring, and often seasonal motifs such as grasses, water, and rice paddies. It was primarily used for tea utensils such as tea bowls, water jars, and incense containers.
Although production continued under subsequent lords, including Tadafusa Ishikawa, official support for the kiln diminished over time. By the 18th century, Zeze-yaki had largely fallen out of favour, though production continued in small-scale forms in nearby areas such as Suzumegatani and Bairin. These offshoots developed their own local variations but gradually declined along with the original tradition. By the late 19th century, Zeze-yaki had nearly disappeared.
The revival of Zeze-yaki began in 1919, when Kenzo Iwasaki (1876–1952) established a new kiln named Kagerō-en (陽炎園) on the original site of the old Zeze kiln. Working with Kyoto potter Itō Tōzan and painter Yamamoto Shunkyo, Iwasaki sought to reproduce and reinterpret traditional Zeze wares for the modern era. His efforts were continued by his son, Shinjō Iwasaki (1913–2009), who further refined the techniques and contributed to public awareness of the tradition.
In 1987, Shinjō Iwasaki founded the Zeze-yaki Museum in Ōtsu City to preserve and display historical and contemporary examples of the ware. The museum also documents the lineage and revival of Zeze-yaki by the Iwasaki family.
Zeze-yaki remains a relatively rare, but historically significant style of Japanese pottery with strong ties to the tea ceremony and early Edo-period cultural life.
Profile of Shinjō Iwasaki (1913-2009)
Shinjō Iwasaki was born in 1913 in Shiga Prefecture as the eldest son of Kenzō Iwasaki, the ceramist who restored Zeze-yaki pottery, one of the seven traditional ceramics of Enshū.
He graduated from the ceramics department of the Kyoto Higher School of Arts and Crafts, and in 1985 was bestowed the Shiga Prefectural Cultural Award and designated as a craftsman of traditional arts and crafts in Shiga Prefecture. He founded the Zeze-yaki Museum in 1987 and in 1991 was honoured by the Ministry of Industry for his contributions to traditional industries. He died on 26 October 2009.