Shaping Seasons: Hasami Ware Matcha Bowls at Chojuro Kiln

In a remote valley of Nagasaki Prefecture lies Hasami, once home to Japan’s largest climbing kiln and a place where pottery has flourished for over four centuries. Here, tradition continues at Chojuro Kiln, a workshop celebrated for its mastery of glazes that capture the shifting colors of nature. Together with MUSUBI KILN, the artisans at this kiln set out to create matcha bowls that reflect the changing seasons and the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship.

Follow along as we trace the journey of creating matcha bowls that place spring in your hands—vessels of fleeting beauty, made to be used every day.

Hasami is the only municipality in Nagasaki Prefecture not facing the sea, yet it has long stood at the center of Japan’s everyday pottery culture. For over 400 years, Hasami has produced durable, beautifully balanced ceramics beloved for daily use across Japan.

Once home to the nation’s largest noborigama (climbing kiln), Hasami is no stranger to scale or ambition. But what defines this region most is not its past grandeur, but its continuity. Here, centuries-old techniques are passed on with subtle passion, and innovation is expressed not through disruption, but refinement.

When Team Musubi set out to develop a new matcha bowl, it was clear that Hasami would be the ideal location—and Chojuro Kiln, renowned for its distinctive glaze work, would be the most trusted partner to collaborate with us.

Head of our creative team, Umehara-san, visited Chojuro Kiln with a single seasonal vision: to create a matcha bowl that captures the fleeting, layered beauty of spring in Japan. Rather than referencing a single motif, such as a cherry blossom, the concept was to weave together a spectrum of imagery—from yozakura (cherry blossoms at night) to hazakura (green-leaved cherry blossom trees), to petals scattered across riverbanks.

The bowl would hold the mood of spring not just through color, but through feeling—perhaps with pink fading into yellow, like petals warmed by sunlight, or soft hints of blue beneath the surface, like the sky reflected on water. It would be a bowl made not for display, but for daily appreciation and one that feels a little different every time it’s held.

Together with Chojuro Kiln, we began sketching out forms, textures, and glazes that could give shape to that ephemeral season.

The base of the matcha bowls began as a slurry of clay—poured into handmade plaster molds and left to set before being released, trimmed, and shaped. The shape we landed on was a cylindrical tsutsu-nari—an upright style that feels both grounded and refined in the hand. Traditionally appreciated in cooler months for the way it holds warmth, this silhouette also has a clean modernity that suits everyday use.

Its form naturally guides whisking, making it especially approachable for newcomers to matcha. Even the angle of the inner wall was considered—ensuring that tea could be prepared with ease and grace.

Craftsmen use custom-made tools to trim and refine the contours, adjusting thickness and curves by hand. As the clay hardens, the vessel slowly emerges. But it wasn’t complete. It still needed its defining feature: color.

At Chojuro Kiln, color is not simply applied—it’s nurtured through layers of glaze, timing, and fire. For this project, we explored more than thirty glaze samples. Some were bright and joyful, others soft and moody. One shade reminded us of cherry blossom petals floating on a river’s surface. Another had a hazy yellow tone that looked like sunshine filtering through new leaves.

The kiln’s signature style lies in its delicate yohen, where the glaze of each bowl reacts differently in the firing. Some develop tiny flecks, others blur at the rim. We embraced this individuality—choosing glazes that would never be identical, but would always speak of spring.

We also selected glazes with the color of matcha in mind, ensuring that the green of freshly whisked tea would glow against the bowl’s surface. Whether in soft contrast or bold harmony, these pieces were designed to inspire the moment tea is made.

Working closely with the artisans, we layered glazes in new ways—adding accents of rust at the rim or letting colors merge unpredictably. The process was experimental, but always guided by Chojuro’s deep experience and unshakable sense of balance.

After two months of waiting and anticipation, three original matcha bowls were drawn from the kiln in full form—each inspired by the textures and tones of Japanese spring.

One bowl carries a vivid yellow base with hints of amber beneath the glaze.

Another has a river-like depth with soft pink and blue.

The third shifts in tone depending on the light, evoking the feeling of drifting petals.

The bottom of each bowl is stamped with the hiragana “む.” This mark is a quiet nod to MUSUBI KILN and appears only on these original creations. Pronounced “mu,” it’s a subtle, heartfelt detail that turns each tea moment into something more personal

To complete the experience, each bowl is housed in a custom wooden box, tied with a delicate mizuhiki knot in a color that matches the glaze of the bowl inside.

A poetic concept card in Japanese accompanies each one, describing the scene that inspired the design as an extra layer of storytelling for those who cherish the meaning behind the pieces they own.

These matcha bowls are available exclusively at MUSUBI KILN and are carefully crafted and sent from us to your tea table.