Bessan Tenmoku Chawan

Matcha tea bowl by Wakutani Teiichi, Kiyomizuyaki

Origin: Kyoto, Japan

Material: clay

Dimensions: Φ 13 cm, H: 6.8 cm

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Craftmanship of Wakutani Teiichi tenmoku glaze specialist.
This tea bowl is the replica of the famous tenmoku tea bowl made in the Chinese Ji Zhou kiln from the Southern Sung dynasty.
It is made using a special double glazing technique, where after applying the first coat of glaze they remove it from random places, then apply a coat of clear glaze. The marvellous pattern this method results in resembles the shell of the peculiar Hawksbill turtle. The tea bowls name, "Bessan" also comes from this.
Turtles are the symbol of long life in Asia and appear in many areas of art.

This hand made tea bowl has unique pattern, different on each piece. Upon order, we send pictures to the customer of the tea bowls in our stock and they can choose the one they like the most.

This product is shipped with a wooden box signed by the artist.
We also include a chakin (small linen cloth to wipe the tea bowl) as a gift.




Handling Precautions

To clean, dip the tea bowl in lukewarm water: a new bowl for one or two minutes; an older one for about 30 seconds to keep it clean, keep it from being covered with stains and to prevent damage. Do not let it sit in water, for the tea bowl will fall apart!
When not in use, dry the tea bowl off with a towel. Afterward - especially in wet seasons - put it in an airy place and keep it dry. Otherwise, the bowl could be damaged and/or a damp smell would not dissipate. If the smell clings to the bowl, make tea with it every day. The smell is usually gone in a week.

Raku Chawan

Initiation:
Before the first use of a Raku chawan, dip it in lukewarm water with a few grains of hard rice. The rice powder in the water helps seal the pores of the Rakuchawan, strengthens the walls and makes it less fragile.

Cleaning:
To clean, dip the tea bowl in lukewarm water: a new bowl for one or two minutes; an older one for about 30 seconds to keep it clean, keep it from being covered with stains and to prevent damage. Do not let it sit in water, for the tea bowl will fall apart!

Storage:
When not in use, dry the tea bowl with towel. Afterward – especially during wet season – put it in an airy place and keep it dry. Otherwise, the tea bowl could be damaged and/or develop a damp smell. If the smell clings to the bowl, make tea with it every day. The smell is usually gone in a week. If not, contact us or the producers of the tea bowl for advice.

Useage:
Raku Chawan is a type of Japanese pottery traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies, characterized by being porous, which allows the carbon dioxide to pass through a small hole. Hot water, therefore, might ooze through the tea bowl. This bowl is also vulnerable to acid, so it is not advisable to put acid foods in it. Raku Chawan is not to be used as dishware!
Thanks to the small pores and structure of Raku Chawan, over time small, and in rare cases bigger fractures might appear on the bowl. This can be prevented by correct initiation, but is still natural to happen.