Vintage | Matcha Chawan - Red Raku

Red raku tea bowl in beautiful condition from Tajimi (Gifu Prefecture).

The high-quality matcha is beaten in the tea bowls, also known as chawan, and then drunk from them.
Suitable chawan are therefore larger than our European tea bowls and usually have thicker walls. A chawan should be large enough to be able to whisk the tea in the bowl until it is frothy. Chawans are made of ceramic and not porcelain.

Particularly high-quality chawan, also known as raku, are moulded by hand and have a very irregular surface. They are very supple in the hand and are also considered works of art. And that certainly applies to this vintage object.

DID YOU KNOW? ...
Matcha ( 抹茶) is the name given to Japanese green teas whose tea leaves are ground into a fine powder. The tea bushes are grown in the shade to protect them from too much sunlight. This method of cultivation results in a lush green colour and a higher amino acid and chlorophyll content in the plants. The first, freshest leaves are picked by hand and quickly steamed to stop fermentation. They are then dried and ground very finely.