Momoyama Period
- Sen No Rikyu (1522 - 1591) was the most
famous of Japanese tea masters.
- He felt that the tea ceremony should be an
intimate gathering of only a few people.
- He would prepare the tea in front of his
guests while discussing Zen philosophy or
the scrolls hanging on the wall.
Sen No Rikyu. Taian Tearoom (Momoyama Period,
1582 CE). Myokian Temple, Kyoto, Japan.
Chojiro. Teabowls (late 16th Century CE). Raku ceramic ware.
Japan.
Hon'ami Kōetsu. Teabowl (Momoyama Period, c. 1600 CE). Raku ceramic ware. Japan.
Sonyu. Teabowl (Edo Period, c. 1710 CE). Raku ceramic ware. Japan.
Teabowl (Edo Period, c. 1750 CE). Raku ceramic ware. Japan.
Raku Greenware Process - Monday
1. Wedge the clay with both hands on a piece of canvas.
2. Shape the clay into a ball, roughly the size of an orange.
3. Using your fingers create a “pinch pot” by pinching the clay
together so that the walls of the teabowl are approximately the same
thickness. Slowly work your way around the teabowl until it is
finished. 1/4” of thickness is ideal.
4. To create a foot (base) for your teabowl, you will use the rolling
pin to roll out a flat slab of clay.
5. When your clay slab is flat and approximately 1/4” thick, you will
use a cutting tool to cut out a rectangle from the slab. The rectangle
should be approximately 3” long and 1/4” wide.
6. Pick up the rectangle and use the cutting tool to “crosshatch” both
ends of the rectangle. Then, “crosshatch” one of the long sides of
the rectangle.
7. Using the cutting tool, crosshatch the shape of a circle on the
bottom of your teabowl.
8. Apply slip to all crosshatched areas and stick these pieces
together (the rectangle will be curved into the shape of a circle then
stuck onto the bottom of the teabowl).
9. Use the cutting tool to carve your name or initials into the bottom
of your teabowl.
10. Set aside to dry overnight.
Raku Glazeware Process - Tuesday
Your teabowl has been fired from greenware (unfired clay) to bisqueware (fired clay). Today we will apply
the glaze, then use the raku fire technique to turn your bowl into raku pottery.
1. Shake the jar of glaze very well before opening.
Be sure the lid is on tight before you shake the jar!
2. Use a paint brush to “paint” on any of the glazes.
You must wait for the first glaze layer to dry before
you can add a second coat (only takes 1-2 minutes
for a glaze coat to dry).
3. You may choose to use only one color of glaze or
mix and match them. The more coats of glaze you
add to your teabowl, the more likely you are to
achieve the “crackle” effect in your glazeware.
I recommend adding 3 - 4 coats if you want a
crackle effect.
* If you use the “White Crackle” glaze, you are more
likely to get the crackle effect. *
Sen No Rikyu. Taian Tearoom (Momoyama Period, 1582 CE).
Myokian Temple, Kyoto, Japan.
Sen No Rikyu. Taian Tearoom (Momoyama Period, 1582 CE).
Myokian Temple, Kyoto, Japan.
Tea Ceremony - Wednesday
There are four (4) key items to the tea ceremony:
1. Chasen (whisk)
2. Chashaku (spoon)
3. Green tea powder (matcha)
4. Chawan (raku fired teabowl)
Tea Ceremony - Wednesday
The Chasen is a whisk made from bamboo that
breaks apart any clumps in the matcha powder and
mixes the powder with the hot water.
Tea Ceremony - Wednesday
The Chashaku is a spoon-like utensil that is used to scoop the matcha powder from the mixing bowl into the Chawan
(raku fired teabowl).
Tea Ceremony - Wednesday
The Chawan is made from stoneware
clay and fired using the raku process.
The Chawan is meant to be a
functional work of art. Bowls that are
hand-man are more valued than those
which are not.
Tea Ceremony - Wednesday
The green tea powder is called
“matcha.” Whole green tea
leaves are ground into a fine
powder, then scooped into the
Chawan using the Chashaku.
After hot water (150° - 185°F) is
poured into the Chawan, the
Chasen is used to mix the
matcha powder with the water.
After the matcha has been
mixed thoroughly (no clumps)
the tea is ready to drink.