Kyō-yaki Yuteki Tenmoku Chawan – Kahō Kiln, Kyoto

A night sky in a bowl. This yuteki tenmoku chawan is glazed in deep blue-black, its surface shimmering with thousands of silvery "oil spot" crystals that formed spontaneously in the kiln — no two spots alike, no part of the pattern planned. Tilt the bowl and the constellation shifts from gunmetal to indigo to bronze.

The glaze breaks to a fine russet line at the rim and stops cleanly above the foot, exposing the smooth tan clay body. Whisked matcha against this glaze is one of the great sights in tea — vivid green over starlit black.

The work of the Kahō kiln (嘉峰窯) of Kyoto, this bowl came to us through the city's Kōbō-ichi market at Tō-ji Temple — complete with its original signed wooden box.

Kiln: Kahō kiln (嘉峰窯, Itō Kahō), Kyoto — attributed from the signed tomobako and seals
Origin: Kyoto, Japan (Kyō-yaki / Kiyomizu ware)
Glaze: Yuteki tenmoku (oil-spot) — iron glaze with natural silver-blue crystalline spotting
Dimensions: cm × cm H
Weight: g
Clay: Fine tan stoneware, unglazed foot
Marks: Impressed kiln seal above the foot; signed tomobako with lid inscription, artist signature, and seal
Condition: Pre-owned, very good vintage condition — minimal wear, minor interior scratch, glaze clean and intact, no chips, cracks, or repairs.
Box: Original signed tomobako (共箱) with ribbon

Yuteki tenmoku (油滴天目) — "oil spot" — is among the most revered glazes in the history of tea. The effect originates in the iron-glazed bowls of Song dynasty China, where excess iron oxide crystallizes on the surface during firing into droplets that gleam like oil on dark water.

Brought to Japan by Zen monks in the medieval period, tenmoku bowls became treasures of the tea world — a handful of surviving examples are today designated National Treasures of Japan. The oil-spot effect remains one of the most technically demanding glazes a potter can attempt: the spots cannot be painted or placed, only coaxed from the fire.

This bowl carries that lineage into Kyō-yaki — Kyoto ware — the refined ceramic tradition of Japan's old capital, where kilns in the Kiyomizu district have served the tea world for over four centuries.

The bowl is accompanied by its original wooden storage box, inscribed "Yuteki Tenmoku Chawan" (油滴天目茶碗) on the lid and signed Kahō (嘉峰) with the artist's red seal — the mark of Kyoto's Kahō kiln. A matching impressed seal appears on the bowl itself, above the foot.

The box, signature, and seals are photographed in full.

Hand wash gently with warm water and a soft cloth — no dishwashers, microwaves, or abrasive scrubbing. Dry fully before returning to the box.

Tenmoku glazes are durable, but as a vintage piece this bowl deserves a little extra tenderness. Store in its tomobako when not in use.

This is the exact bowl and box photographed — a unique vintage find that will not be restocked.

Shipped double-boxed with the tomobako directly from our Kyoto studio via Japan Post EMS, fully tracked and insured.