diameter: 4.64inches (11.8cm) height: 3.64inches (8.5cm), standard Matcha bowl size Kyo Yaki (Kyoto Style)

Made by Kohgiku Nakamura

This Matcha bowl is crafted in the Kenzan Cho, featuring a warm red clay body finished with a soft white slip, where elegance and gentle rusticity coexist in perfect harmony. Kenzan Cho refers to the style of pottery associated with Ogata Kenzan, a ceramic artist of the Edo period, as well as the distinctive aesthetic of Kenzan Yaki that he established. Upon this refined surface unfolds a serene scene: graceful weeping cherry blossoms cascading above a tranquil waterway, where a YAKATABUNE, a traditional Japanese boat for enjoying meals and seasonal scenery, glides quietly across the still surface.

The water is delicately rendered using pigments blended with fine mica, creating a subtle golden shimmer that evokes sunlight dancing upon the surface in spring.

Traditionally, YAKATABUNE have been used in Japan for elegant gatherings, offering a refined way to appreciate the beauty of the changing seasons. Along the water’s edge, the arching branches of SHIDARE SAKURA, weeping cherry blossoms, form a canopy overhead - an image that recalls one of Japan’s most poetic springtime scenes and the cherished custom of HANAMI, the appreciation of cherry blossoms in full bloom.

In this composition, the YAKATABUNE drifts gently beneath the blossoms, expressing the timeless tradition of viewing SAKURA from the water. Petals fall softly, ripples move in quiet rhythm, and a fleeting moment of seasonal stillness is captured with poetic grace.

As you prepare Matcha in this bowl, the imagery invites you to reflect upon spring in Japan, where nature and culture exist in perfect harmony. More than a vessel, it is a window into a timeless seasonal experience that brings the spirit of HANAMI into the quiet moment of tea.