Carved Kuro Raku Chawan

This classic kuro raku chawan (matcha bowl) features a low hantsutsu-gata shape with subtle diagonal facets around the waist. Each bowl is hand-built and carved in Shōraku's workshop from his signature lightweight clay blend before being coated with a glaze made from the rocks at the bottom of the Kamō River. A few patches of glazes are scraped off decoratively to reveal the clay underneath. Each chawan is then fired individually at around 1000°C (1832°F) for three minutes before being removed from the heat while red hot and cooled rapidly. The smooth, soft, pinholed texture of the kuro-raku glaze coupled with the soft, low-fired clay body is one of the most unique tactile sensations in Japanese ceramics. The bowl is stamped 松楽 (Shōraku), he uses on his more entry-level pieces.