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煎茶 中国茶 台湾茶向け 日本の急須/茶壺専門店　東山堂

Shigaraki ware Sencha tea cup, kiln-changed light purple (30ml)

Shigaraki ware Sencha tea cup, kiln-changed light purple (30ml)

¥5,500 JPY
¥5,500 JPY
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This is a light purple sencha tea cup by Sotouen.

When brewing gyokuro or sencha, the amount of water is only a few dozen ml, so a small tea cup is used. This size can also be used for Chinese and Taiwanese tea.

Sotouen is a Shigaraki pottery kiln that makes each piece on a potter's wheel and fires them in a traditional climbing kiln. They inherited the wood-fired kiln from the Edo period from the prestigious Ueda Naokata family of Shigaraki ware, and continue to make pieces that let you to feel the texture of Shigaraki clay and the rich expression of wood-fired kilns.

There are few sencha tea wares on the pottery market these days, so while searching for sencha tea wares all over Japan, we found a tea cup made by Sotouen about 20 years ago at a pottery fair in Aichi Prefecture. We asked Sotouen to make a new piece using the tea utensils from that time as a model.

Shigaraki is a place in Shiga Prefecture surrounded by mountains and with a flowing river. It is a place that has a deep connection with tea. Shigaraki ware has been loved by many tea masters since the 1600s. Since the Tokugawa Shogunate and various feudal lords, it has become common to present Uji tea in Shigaraki tea jars. Shigaraki is known as a region where tea pottery is thriving, producing tea utensils such as matcha bowls and teapots.

Shigaraki clay is somewhat coarse and has a taste of earth. Shigaraki ware, which is fired in the strong flames of a wood-fired kiln, is often brown, but this tea cup is pale purple. This color is produced by chance due to the irregular flow of flames inside the kiln. It is a rare pottery that is the result of an accidental reaction between the clay and the flame.

The main fuel for the wood-fired kiln is red pine. The firing period is about one week, and the temperature rises to 1300-1500°C. The wood-fired kiln itself is made of Shigaraki clay (the image of the clay is penultimate). Sotouen's climbing kiln is one of the largest in Japan.

Tea cups are hand-made one by one on a potter's wheel, so there are lines by wheel forming on the sides of the cups. It has a nice texture that gives it a real earthy feel. The inside is very smoothly molded. It features the soft expression of natural clay. One of the attractions is that the color deepens with use, and you can enjoy the changes over time.

Kiln: Sotouen (Shiga)

Molding: wheel forming

Firing: Wood-fired kiln

Type: Pottery

Size: Total length approx. 6 cm, bottom diameter approx. 3 cm, height approx. 6 cm

Capacity: Full 60 ml, practical 30 ml

Weight: Approx. 50 g

Packing: Paper box

Notes: Since it is handmade, each piece is different. It is not a uniform color all over, and the surface that was exposed to the flame during firing is brown. Of the options, B, C, D, and E have brown parts on the cups. There is no glaze on the inside or outside.

If you pour hot water until it is full, the edge of the tea cup will become hot. We recommend using it at less than 50% of the full capacity.

<Shigaraki ware>

Shigaraki ware is one of the six ancient kilns of Japan (Seto, Tokoname, Echizen, Tamba, Bizen, Shigaraki). Shigaraki was located at the bottom of a lake in ancient times, so it is blessed with high-quality clay. It is said that the origin of Shigaraki ware is when tiles were made for buildings in the capital when the capital was moved to this area in 742. After that, there was a period of decline in pottery production, but in the late 13th century, seed jars and water bottles began to be made.

In the late 15th century, Japanese pottery began to be used as tea utensils in the tea ceremony. Shigaraki ware, along with Bizen ware, was the earliest pottery used as tea utensils. From the 17th century onwards, tea jars to hold tea leaves to be presented to the shogun and daimyo families were also produced in Shigaraki.

Shigaraki ware is deeply connected to tea and is a pottery loved by many tea masters. Located near Kyoto and Osaka, where the tea ceremony was popular, Shigaraki produced many matcha bowls, flower vases, and sencha ware. Shigaraki is surrounded by mountains and flowing water, making it a place rich in nature. The texture of Shigaraki's clay, which gives a sense of nature, and the rich expressions created by firing in a wood-fired kiln are the charms of Shigaraki ware.
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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.