Shonzui Kachomon Gyokuro Teacup

Kiyomizuyaki Gyokuro Teacup by Seishō Kato.

People abroad may associate Japanese tea with Matcha tea nowadays, but in the past, from the end of the Edo era to the Meiji era (during the nineteen century) in particular, Sencha (a kind of green tea) was the favorite tea of the intellectual and culturati. Various schools of Sencha-do (Sencha tea ceremony) came into being at that time, and at the same time many sophisticated tea cups used in the Sencha tea ceremony were produced. Those tea paraphenalia are seldom used in our daily lives and many of them are no longer produced these days, because tea is now deemed something to be accustomed informally on a daily basis out of cheap and mass-produced cups.
Seisho Kato the third is a master potter and has been producing mainly Sencha utensils (teapot, tea cup, etc.) at his own pottery studio. His works are suitable for the people who really want to appreciate the real world of Japanese tea such as Gyokuro and high-quality Sencha.
This small tea cup with a shonzui painted on the white porcelain is normally called “Senchawan” (a cup for Sencha tea) in the Sencha-do, but drinking Sencha out of this small-size tea cup (40ml or 1.4oz) is an outmoded practice. Instead, Sencha is usually drunk out of a larger tea cup today. So, we call this small cup “Gyokurowan“ in order to distinguish it from a larger “Senchawan.” The difference between this “Gyokurowan” and a cup for the daily use is its lightness and thinness. Its weight is less than 30g, and it is less than 70g even when you pour 40ml (4oz.) tea in it. Its body of porcelain is so thin that you might be able to see bamboo pictures through the body which is about 1.2mm thick. Seisho Kato the second himself shapes and creates the delicate body of the cup.

Seisho Kato has his own pottery studio near Sennyu-ji Temple in Higashiyama Ward in Kyoto, where he produces pottery. By underglazing the white porcelains his father (Seisho the second) makes, he adds the finishing touch on them. His porcelain paintings is characteristically delicate and exquisite. And his sophisticated techniques in painting and decorating received high commendation when his works were displayed at the Japan Sencha Crafts Exhibition, annually held in May in Ohbakusan Manpuku-ji Temple, the one held as part of the National Senchado Party.

This particular design is termed Shonzui.
Shonzui is a porcelain painted in blue glaze. This pottery craft was baked at the private kilns in Jingdezhen in the last years of the Ming Dynasty (1628-1644).

Kyo or Kiyomizu pottery is a symbol of Kyoto, and it's history has continued for 400 years. To serve the desire of Aristocrats, tea masters and culinary specialists of the era, Kyo or Kiyomizu pottery has incorporated design and artistry not only from Japan, but also from China and Korean Peninsula. To succeed the intricate artwork and craftmanship, each piece is made and decorated carefully by hand even till this day.

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☆ HANDMADE PRODUCT - Please note that the item we have in stock might not be the same piece shown on the pictures above. Each piece is unique and slightly different from each other. If you are particular about either the size, the capacity or the appearance, contact us, and we will share photos or the exact details of our available pieces in stock.

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