Iga Refined Balance Matcha Bowl

Artisan Fukushima Kazuhiro crafted this Iga ware matcha bowl with inspiration drawn from the dohimo linear elements characteristic of Kiseto matcha bowls. These subtle encircling lines gently tighten the vessel’s profile, lending the bowl a poised elegance that feels both time-honored and refined. Delicate incisions introduce a quiet cadence to the form, achieving balance through simplicity, a beauty that suggests rather than announces.

Along the walls and at the base, the traces of the potter’s wheel remain visible, recalling the concentric growth of tree rings, their layered texture echoing the clay's coarse, substantial nature. These marks speak not only of the making but seem to register time itself, inviting the hand and eye to perceive the patient forces that shaped them.

Natural vidro glaze radiates from the bowl's interior, traveling outward until it pauses at the encircling groove, dividing the vessel into two harmonious zones. The crystalline surface evokes a mountain stream spreading across terrain, here glistening, there pooling, leaving traces both vivid and mysterious. Glaze drifts across the surface like layered landscapes caught in shifting light.

Deliberate restraint in detail and overall composition creates an atmosphere of tranquility and expanse. This matcha bowl functions as a tea vessel while embodying the maker's philosophy and touch. Strength and grace, archaic simplicity and sophisticated control merge within it, allowing those who hold it to experience the vital energy born from clay and flame.

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.