Shigaraki Chawan – Bronze Tamamushi Glaze Matcha Bowl

Molten bronze scattered with fragments of sky. This Shigaraki chawan wears a deep metallic glaze of burnished bronze, broken everywhere by patches of iridescent blue, violet, and silver that shimmer and shift as the light moves. Inside, the effect gathers into a glowing pool at the bottom of the well, like moonlight on dark water.

The softly undulating rim and gently dented walls show the potter's hand, and a pale, smooth foot provides a quiet counterpoint to all that shine. Near the foot, a small notch in the glaze marks where the bowl was held during dipping, a fingerprint of the making process.

We selected this piece in person in Shigaraki.

Origin: Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Glaze: Metallic bronze with iridescent blue-violet crystalline patches, inside and out
Rim: Hand-shaped, gently undulating
Dimensions: 12.4 cm × 7.8 cm H
Weight: 342 g
Marks: None
Condition: New, handmade — iridescence, glaze texture, the dipping mark near the foot, and kiln marks on the foot ring are inherent to the piece
Box: Kraft gift

Japanese has a word for color that changes as you look at it: tamamushi-iro (玉虫色), named for the jewel beetle, whose wings flash green, gold, and violet depending on the angle. Its wings were so prized that they were used to decorate one of Japan's oldest surviving treasures, the 7th-century Tamamushi Shrine at Hōryū-ji.

This glaze has that same quality. Metallic, iron-rich glazes develop their sheen as crystals form on the surface during firing and cooling. The potter controls the recipe and the kiln, but where the blue and violet bloom is decided by the fire. Turn the bowl in your hands and no two views are alike.

Dark, lustrous bowls have long been a favorite for matcha because the green stands out so vividly against them. Here, bright foam floats on a shimmering bronze and blue ground, a dramatic presentation that rewards a high-grade ceremonial matcha. The rounded, deep form gives plenty of room for whisking.

Hand wash with warm water and a soft cloth. Avoid dishwashers, microwaves, and abrasive scrubbing, which can dull the metallic surface. Dry fully before storing.

Wiping the bowl dry with a soft cloth after each use keeps the iridescence bright and free of water spots.

This is the exact bowl photographed. Once sold, it will not be restocked.

Carefully packed and shipped directly from our Kyoto studio via Japan Post EMS, fully tracked and insured.