Shōji Umehara: Tenmoku glazed chachū

A classic piece of Shōryūtouen

Master Umehara is a multiple international and national award artisan with his own renowned workshop in Tokoname: Shōryūtouen 昭龍陶園. His signature style is having the tenmoku glaze on the outside of the blackware teapot. The term tenmoku is a Japanese label for the kind of tea bowls glazed with certain reduction effects that was popular in 11~13 century China and imported into Japan with tea. While in the old way the layer of glaze has to have a certain material thickness in order for enough different minerals to interact during the firing to achieve the result, in Master Umehara’s studio, they can do it with a very thin layer and not on the inside of the container, but the outside. This makes sense in the utilitarian perspective in modern tea leaf steeping —  the interior of the vessel remains unglazed and allow optimum clay – tea interaction for optimum infusion effects, while the glazed exterior is more appealing and much easier to clean.

Both the ergonomics and form functionality of this piece are very good.

Note also that this particular item is designed for left-handers.