A tea bowl should be appreciated within the context of a tea room.

Otherwise, the tea bowl will not reveal its true form.

For appreciating tea bowls, the enclosed space of the tea room and the light within it are extremely important.

Rikyu created a tea room—a space of artistic quality comparable to that of famous or Chinese artifacts—even without them. This was groundbreaking.

This is also related to the fact that they did not use famous or imported tea bowls, but instead drank tea from modern ware bowls.

One might argue that if one is to drink tea from a tea bowl made by a contemporary artist, then a suitable modern tea room is necessary. However, conversely, one could also say that tea utensils exist precisely because there is a tea room.

In other words, the dimensions of the tea ceremony utensils are determined to fit the space of the tea room.

It's no exaggeration to say that the true enjoyment of the tea ceremony lies within the tea room itself.

In his book "Famous Tea Bowls Speak," Haruzo Hayashiya writes, "I have come to the realization that tea bowls are not something to be 'looked at' but rather something to 'converse with.' And that those that speak deeply are the ones that are truly 'famous tea bowls.'"

These are words that are very typical of Mr. Hayashiya, who lived his life as a tea master.

He further states, "However, it is certain that no one has created a tea bowl that surpasses 'Snowy Dawn' (a tea bowl made by Kawakita Handeishi), and as someone living in the present, this is regrettable. Has the era in which great tea bowls could be created passed?"

This time, we asked five artists— Masahiko Ichino (60 years old), Hiromi Itabashi (73 years old), Makoto Kaneshige (76 years old), Sajirou Tanaka (84 years old), and Kiyoyuki Katou (90 years old)—to create six tea bowls, each imbued with their utmost effort.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the five writers who granted my request.

Because, for any artist, there is no such thing as a tea bowl that is 100% satisfactory.

That's why I believe there's meaning in challenging myself to create a truly exceptional tea bowl. The tea bowls featured in the direct mail were photographed in the "Ichiyoan" tea room at Kakiden in Shinjuku, in order to convey the appearance of each bowl as accurately as possible.

I've included images of the rim, foot, and interior, which are key points to appreciate in tea bowls, but the illustrations are small, so I highly recommend seeing the actual bowls at the venue.

Now, let me introduce the five artists and their tea bowls.

The youngest of the fiveMasahiko IchinoHowever, I turned 60 this year.

There was a time when it was said that "you should only start making tea bowls after you turn fifty," but I think it's now okay to start making tea bowls without any reservations.

The first Shinsui Ichino was a master at reproducing Korean tea bowls, and judging from this bowl, Ichino undoubtedly inherited that talent.

When I place the tea bowl in the tea room and look at it, it reminds me of a famous Goryeo tea bowl, but this is the real deal.《Tanba Red Dobe Tea Pit》That is the case.

It is made using the soil from Benten in Tanba Sasayama and is decorated with red clay.

The black granules contained in the paddy soil give it a unique texture.

And when you hold it in your palm, you can feel the gentle warmth unique to red slipware.

Hiromi ItabashiThe tea bowl is made starting from the base.

It's not necessarily a perfectly rounded hill, but it doesn't deviate from the fundamental essence of a hill.

The base is roasted with a burner to slightly harden it, and then the clay is shaped into a teacup while it is still soft.

Without being bound by conventional notions of tea bowls, we explore the form that the clay itself desires to take.

Without consciously thinking about shaping the mouth, I simply add lines and cut into the shape that naturally forms.

The idea that the form changes depending on the production method is a very Itabashi-esque concept.

Camellia Ash White Glazed Tea BowlThis piece is made by applying camellia ash over a white slip and firing it at 1260°.

The pale rusty color on the makeup evokes the image of a camellia flower, and when combined with the color of the tea, it creates a sense of wabi-sabi (a Japanese aesthetic emphasizing simplicity and transience).

This exhibition will feature various types of tea bowls, each created using these diverse methods.

As a tea bowl for deep conversation, among the many Bizen ware artists, I chose...Makoto KaneshigeI chose this tea bowl.

Because this tea bowl, like its creator, is silent.

If you want to have a deep conversation, a quiet tea bowl is better than an talkative one.

thisBizen tea bowlThe sesame-like texture, the burnt edges, and the subdued reddish-brown surface create a quiet, ethereal beauty.

The artist's deep feelings can be felt even in the way the base is carved with a spatula.

It is never flashy, yet it is supported by Makoto Kaneshige 's unwavering aesthetic sense.

The elevated viewpoint and the view from there are endlessly fascinating.

This exhibition will also feature tea bowls other than Bizen ware.

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of tea bowls will be put up for auction.

Sajirou TanakaEach of these tea bowls is brimming with dynamism.

thisKaratsu Kawakujira Teapot with the inscription "Rough Shore Waves"Even looking at the high ground, you can feel the intensity of the storm.

As you gaze upon the dramatically undulating rim of the kiln, you can almost hear the sound of waves crashing in and out from somewhere.

This tea bowl is accompanied by a waka poem written by the artist himself: "The rough waves of the shore are still there, and I await you all the more; may the plovers not cry, for the wind blows through the pines on the shore."

The meaning is, just as the force of the rough waves crashing against the shore, my heart awaits you, my beloved.

Plovers, please don't cry. I am enduring the strong wind like a pine tree on the shore.

This is the author's love poem, born from a tea bowl.

Kiyoyuki KatouHe turned 90 last year.

Up until now, I have described Kato's "ash-glazed tea bowls" as "the only tea bowls that allow you to drink tea without pandering to the tea itself," but looking at his new tea bowls from last year, I felt that he had surpassed even that notion.

Having truly reached a state of ultimate freedom, the forms and patterns are expressed entirely according to the artist's heart's desires.

《Black clay and white clay tea bowl》This tea bowl was made using the slab-building method rather than the potter's wheel, and thanks to Kato's robust sculpting skills and refined sensibilities, it has been transformed into a modern tea bowl.

Furthermore, the beveled rim gives it a very dynamic and lively feel.

Every tea bowl made by this artist exudes a sense of cleanliness, and it feels refreshing and uplifting.

Kouichi Mori (Art critic, Standing Director of the Japan Ceramic Society)