Size: 7.5 cm (H) and 125 cm (⌀) Dimensions are approximate.
Weight: 357g
Material: Shigaraki Clay (mixture of different clays)
Made in: Shigaraki, Shiga Prefcture, Japan

This ash glazed han tsutsu-gata (half cylilnder shap) bowl, was made in Shigaraki by Takashi Ueda from the Sotoen Pottery Studio. The bowl was made using a special kiln with a shape that uses the natural slope of a mountain. This kind of kiln makes room for several chambers in a row with the biggest one at the end of the kiln. After placing each item by hand in the kiln the firing process will last up to 7 days and nights. Before the front is cut open and everything inside is removed the kiln is cooled down for another 3 days.
The bowl was made with ash glaze over a wonderfully gritty stoneware body. Its slightly oval shape gives it personality. With a rounded lower part and suddendly sharp uprising sides, this tea bowl is abolutely unique.

Shigaraki-ware or Shigaraki-yaki, is made in a small town called Shigaraki in the south of Shiga Prefecture. Shigaraki has been one of the major pottery towns in Japan since ancient times. Tea pottery from Shigaraki was equally famous and popular in the Edo period. The special mixture of clay used in Shigaraki was kneaded together to make a strong clay that can be used to make thick and large pottery vessels. These vessels are famously used in the Ochatsubodouch tea possession, introduced under the patronage of the Tokugawa Clan family. In this annual ceremony tea from Uji was transported to Edo (Tokyo) to present it to the Tokugawa Shoguns.The rusty glaze on the scorched portions of most of the Shigaraki ware is prized in tea utensils.Shigaraki ware is unique because of its simple warmth and rich expressiveness.