Shigaraki Chawan – Iron Branch & Turquoise Matcha Bowl

Bare winter branches against fresh snow. This Shigaraki chawan is glazed in a creamy, crackled white flecked with feldspar, then painted with bold, free strokes of plum-brown iron that branch, drip, and scatter across the surface. Bands of vivid turquoise run through the brushwork like streams of meltwater.

Inside, a single sweeping arc of turquoise and iron curls around the well, surrounded by spatters and dots that look flicked from the brush. The rim flares gently outward, and the unglazed foot glows with a warm blush of fire color where the clay met the flame.

We selected this piece in person in Shigaraki.

Origin: Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Glaze: Crackled white with feldspar inclusions, painted with iron-brown and turquoise, inside and out
Form: Gently flared rim
Dimensions: 14.1 cm × 7.4 cm H
Weight: 329 g
Clay: Coarse Shigaraki stoneware, unglazed foot with natural fire color
Marks: None
Condition: New, handmade — crackle, brush drips, feldspar specks, and the textured foot are inherent to the piece
Box: Kraft gift

Every chawan has a shōmen (正面), its "front": the face the host chooses as the most beautiful. In a traditional tea gathering, the host sets the bowl down with its front facing the guest. The guest admires it, then turns the bowl slightly before drinking, so as not to drink from the front. It's a small gesture of humility and respect for the bowl and its maker.

On a painted bowl like this one, choosing the front is part of the pleasure. The tall turquoise band crossing the iron branches makes a natural shōmen, but turn the bowl and the other faces offer quieter compositions of drips and scattered dots. Which side you present is up to you.

The pale interior shows off the true color of your matcha, while the turquoise arc frames the foam as you whisk. The wide, flared mouth gives plenty of room for the whisk and makes the bowl comfortable to drink from.

Hand wash with warm water and a soft cloth. Avoid dishwashers, microwaves, and abrasive scrubbing. Dry fully before storing.

Crackled white glazes slowly take on faint tea tones in the crackle over years of use. Rinse soon after whisking to keep it bright, or let the patina develop as part of the bowl's story.

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.