Oribe Asymmetrical Oval Matcha Bowl

This matcha bowl by Iga ware artisan Fukushima Kazuhiro makes a striking statement through its form and color. Hand-thrown on the potter’s wheel, it reveals an oval body with a rim that rises and falls in soft waves. Shaped with minimal intervention, the bowl allows the natural energy of the clay and glaze to emerge unforced. Its lines are quiet, the silhouette simple, yet it carries an unmistakable dignity.

The Oribe glaze, a transparent glaze infused with copper oxide, yields the deep green long associated with Oribe ware. At the interior base, a silver-like crystallization has formed, the result of copper settling during firing. Such unexpected variations—subtle irregularities born of natural glaze—are part of its living character. Though prolonged firing can erase these traces, Fukushima chose to preserve them, allowing the crystallization to remain as part of the bowl’s calming vitality.

The surfaces inside and out are finished with two to three types of glaze, flowing in passages of green that shift from dense saturation to softened translucence. Fired only once after glazing, as Oribe pieces traditionally are, the vessel carries forward the spirit of tea ceramics of the Momoyama period (1573–1600 CE).

Bearing the unmistakable language of Oribe in its asymmetrical design and expressive surface, Fukushima accepts and refines these qualities with a contemporary sensibility, creating a bowl that breathes with the artist’s own expression in the hand.

Fukushima Kazuhiro

Born as the eighth-generation successor of the Mukai Kiln, which has thrived in Iga for over three centuries, Fukushima Kazuhiro creates ceramic works that combine the profound presence of earth with the translucent beauty of vidro glaze and the distinctive, crackled kairagi texture. While deeply rooted in tradition, his work embraces a contemporary sensibility, transforming the seemingly accidental patterns formed by fire, clay, and ash into deliberate expressions of artistry. Through this process, Fukushima opens new horizons for Iga ware, infusing each piece with striking individuality and life.

Iga Ware

Iga ware, produced in the Iga region of Mie Prefecture, is celebrated for its deep roots in Japanese ceramic history and its distinctive character. With a lineage stretching back some 1,200 years, Iga ware rose to prominence during the Momoyama period (1573–1615 CE), when it became closely tied to the aesthetics of the tea ceremony.

As a form of traditional Japanese pottery, Iga ware is admired for its robust clay, earthy texture, and the organic beauty that emerges through various firing methods. The natural ash glazing and translucent green, glass-like vidro effects created by the intense heat of the kiln reveal the expressive artistry that defines Iga ware.