Iga Earthen Tranquility Matcha Bowl

In this work, Iga ware artisan Fukushima Kazuhiro presents an Iga ware matcha bowl of quiet depth and presence. The surface carries subdued, earthy tones animated by the translucent green of a vidro glaze—like a fragment of the natural world held in suspension, where clear water gathers against rugged clay within the vessel’s form.

Wheel-thrown and fired four times, the piece accumulates new "scenery" with each kiln cycle. Ash continually settles and melts, intermingling with the clay body to build up singular, stratified transformations. Yet multiple firings carry inherent risk. Once the clay vitrifies completely, subsequent exposure to heat can cause cracking; the outcomes remain uncertain. Only when form and spirit achieve equilibrium can the work emerge vitalized from flame's trial.

Among Iga ware's defining characteristics is the water-clear green vidro glaze. It originates when wood ash drifts onto unfired clay and fuses under extreme temperature, creating color spontaneously, an unanticipated offering from earth and fire in concert. Through masterful technique, Fukushima harnesses these ungovernable natural forces: fire, clay, and air. Within this bowl concentrates a profound, transparent green, clear and hushed as mountain lake water. 

Here, nature and craft intertwine. Beyond its role as a tea implement, the vessel stands as a landscape made permanent, allowing those who handle it to touch nature's breath and time's lingering resonance.

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.