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煎茶 中国茶 台湾茶向け 日本製急須/茶壺専門店　東山堂

Bizen ware RekiTeapot B (130ml)

Bizen ware RekiTeapot B (130ml)

¥27,500 JPY
¥27,500 JPY
Sale Sold out
This is a teapot with the "Reki" style, a representative style of Hosokawa Takahiro. It is a teapot made of Bizen clay with a Chinese-style backhand shape. It has just the right capacity for brewing Chinese or Taiwanese tea. One side of the teapot is dark brown and the other side is light brown. There is a distinctive stone at the bottom right of the spout.


Mr. Hosokawa specializes in works that make use of the natural texture of the soil of Bizen. His style is powerful and dynamic, not bound by traditional Bizen ware expression.


The details of the design, such as the lid and spout, are very carefully crafted. Mr. Hosokawa has dozens of different clay blends and continues to explore Bizen clay. He is a notable artist whose popularity is increasing in mainland China, with his works selling out every time he holds a solo exhibition in Beijing, China.


(Biography of Hosokawa Takahiro)

Born in Okayama Prefecture in 1979.

Graduated from the Bizen Ceramic Art Center in 1999. He learned pottery making under his grandfather Takemura Eiraku.

2015 Tokyo American Club Frederick Harris Gallery

2016 Solo exhibition at Suzuki Shoten Beijing (2017, 2019)

2019 Selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art Tea Ceremony Sculpture Exhibition


Bizen ware is pottery that is expressed with earth and fire. It is said that making clay accounts for more than half of the work in Bizen ware, so making clay is an important task.


Bizen has clay of various colors and properties, and artists search for the soil that suits their work. Bizen clay has coarse particles, making it difficult to make complex shapes like teapots. For this reason, Bizen ware tea utensils are mostly matcha bowls, lidded bowls, and bubble bottles, but very few teapots.


Bizen clay contains iron. According to a study on Bizen ware kiln changes (the 3rd Okayama Studies Symposium, by Yamaguchi Kazuhiro, Okayama University of Science), the iron content of Bizen clay is about 2-3%.


This iron binds with tannins, which are the bitter taste of tea. Therefore, tea brewed in a teapot made from Bizen clay is thought to be less bitter and has a smoother taste.


Bizen ware is not painted on the vessels, but patterns are created by the flow of the flames that change inside the kiln and the techniques used. The way the flame hits the vessel changes depending on where it is placed, such as near the entrance to the kiln, on a high place, or near a corner. Each vessel is made by leaving it to the natural force of the flame, and no two vessels are the same.


Reki gives a sense of the strength and generosity of the earth. Although it is a new piece, it has the dignity and shadows of an antique. The texture of Bizen clay is well expressed, so I would like you to feel it for yourself. This teapot has a two-layer structure with coarse clay on the outside and fine clay on the inside.


The warm clay texture makes the pottery feel like a product of nature. Reki represents the earth of Bizen. Bizen ware gives you a sense of nature in the form of clay and flames. This teapot is a fusion of Chinese tea culture and Bizen clay, expressing a traditional Chinese teapot with Bizen clay.


Potter: Hosokawa Takahiro (Bizen ware)


Size: Total length 12cm (including handle and spout), body diameter 7cm, height 9cm

Capacity: 130ml

Weight: Approximately 230g

Packaging: Paper box

Notes: Since this is handmade, there are slight differences between each piece.

Because the clay particles are coarse, the tea is difficult to stop even if you press the hole in the top of the lid. When pouring water, do not tilt the teapot vertically, but pour slowly to ensure smooth pouring.


*Bizen ware

Bizen ware is pottery made in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture. Bizen ware production began around the end of the Heian period, about 800 years ago. Bizen ware is fired at high temperatures of 1200-1300°C, and because it is sturdy, many pots and jars were initially made. Bizen ware is favored by tea masters for its unique clay texture, and since the Muromachi period (1338-), much pottery for the tea ceremony has been made.

The characteristic of Bizen ware is that the clay is not glazed, but is fired as is, and the beauty of the patterns that make use of the taste of the clay. Bizen ware is mainly fired in wood-fired kilns. The main fuel is pine wood, and the pottery is fired over a period of about two weeks.

There are two types of clay: rice field clay, which is mainly taken from rice paddies, and mountain clay, which is taken from mountains. The beautiful patterns unique to Bizen ware are created with clay rich in iron, and the clay's blend gives each artist an individual earthenware flavor.

When Bizen ware gets wet, its color becomes lighter, and the color changes with prolonged use. This change is a major attraction, and you can enjoy watching the piece develop as you use it.

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FAQ

Which type of of tea can I brew with the teapot?

It can be used for any type of tea. However, unglazed pottery is more likely to absorb the flavor of the tea leaves. By using different tea utensils for each type of tea, you can enjoy the flavor of the tea to the fullest.

For example, in the case of Japanese tea, sencha, fukamushicha, genmaicha, and gyokuro are all in the same family, but since hojicha has a strong roasted aroma, we recommend using a different tea utensil.

However, glazed pottery or porcelain tea utensils do not absorb the flavor of the tea leaves, so they are suitable for brewing various types of tea.

How do you wash a teapot?

Please wash the teapot with water, without using detergent. Ceramic teapots easily absorb detergent ingredients, which can affect the flavor of the tea.

Tea leaves remaining in the teapot are the main cause of tea stains. After brewing tea, we recommend removing the tea leaves once they have cooled and rinsing them with water.

Moisture remaining in the teapot can cause mold. Turning the teapot upside down will help it dry faster.

We do not recommend washing it in the dishwasher. Please wash by hand.

Can I remove tea stains from a teapot?

Here's how to remove tea stains.

1. In a bowl or pot, mix 24g of baking soda with 1 liter of water at 30-40°C.

*Do not use aluminum or Teflon-coated pots as they will react with baking soda.

2. Leave the teapot in the water mentioned in step 1 for 30-60 minutes.

3. Wipe off the tea stains with a soft sponge or cotton swab. Do not use hard sponges or brushes.

4. Rinse the teapot with water.

5. Thoroughly dry the teapot.

*Baking soda water may irritate your hands, so wear rubber gloves.

Can I return the product?

We do not accept returns unless the product is damaged when the package arrives.

Each tea utensil is slightly different and may have slight distortions or scratches. Please check the images posted on our online shop in advance.

If you have any questions about the detailed condition of the product, please feel free to contact us. We can send you additional images and videos of the product.

Do you ship internationally?

We can ship to the following countries:

China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines

Are the goods antiques or second-hand goods?

All the products in the shop are new. We sell products produced by potters and kilns in Japan.