- Type
- Setoguro
- Details
- A bowl for drinking matcha. A cylindrical Setoguro chawan with the sheen of black lacquer and edged flat faces, suited to koicha and the winter tea room.
- Materials
- Mogusa clay (rare clay)
- Size
- φ135 mm
- Height
- 118 mm
- Weight
- 485 g
- Texture
- The edges of the faces and the pooled glaze meet the fingers: smooth where the gloss is deep, with a slight catch where the glaze runs thick. Cupped in both hands, the rise and fall of each face passes into the palms.
Features of this piece
A bowl with the deep sheen of an old vessel finished in layer upon layer of black urushi lacquer. Several flat faces rise around the cylinder, and the thick black glaze pools and runs along their edges, as if fresh lacquer had dripped and set, catching the light one thread at a time. Each face wears its gloss differently: some polished to a mirror finish, others holding the weave of cloth beneath the lacquer, so the light moves from face to face as the bowl turns in the hand.
The rim undulates gently, traced by a fine pale line. Inside, the drama of the exterior gives way to a quiet black. Like the inside of a well-used lacquer bowl it drinks in the light, and the green of freshly whisked matcha stands clear against it.
At the foot the glaze stops in a thick lip and reveals the unglazed clay beneath, bare as wood before its first coat. A deep, near-cylindrical chawan suited to koicha and the winter tea room. Held in both hands, the edges of the faces press into the fingers, with the weight of lifting a lacquered vessel.
Expected to ship within 10 business days from the date of order
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Setoguro
One from one kiln
Setoguro is renowned for its captivating, deep black color. Achieving this beautiful black involves using a glaze made from Oniita (iron-rich clay) mixed with ash. The piece is fired at high temperatures and then removed from the kiln while still hot, followed by rapid cooling—a technique known as "hikidashi-guro." This process was employed over 450 years ago and produced the elusive "Setoguro" ware for only about 30 years in the world of tea. In the tea ceremony, Setoguro is revered for its unique aesthetic value within the Japanese principles of wabi-sabi. By extracting the piece from a kiln over 1,100 degrees Celsius and cooling it quickly, the piece transforms into a deep black while producing beautiful cracking sounds (kan-nyu) as it cools. Only up to three pieces can be fired in one kiln at a time, and achieving a satisfying black is extremely challenging. It is said that getting one satisfactory piece from a single kiln firing is considered a success.
Rest for the heart - Setoguro
In a busy life, finding time just for yourself is harder than it seems. That is why a pause to stop and whisk a bowl of tea can quietly settle the heart. The black of Setoguro is a black that draws the light deep inside. Held in the hands, its depth seems to still even the noise around you. Whisked matcha turns a clear, vivid green against this black, leaving a little space to breathe, for the eyes and for the heart. The glossy black rests softly in the hand, and its gentleness at the lips loosens whatever has been held tight. A Setoguro chawan that Kato Takaya brought into being one bowl at a time. For a quiet moment, a little apart from the rush of the day.
Suitable for
Care
For cleaning, please hand wash using a soft sponge or cloth. Avoid using abrasive sponges.
Please note
