Chawan: Shapes & Sizes
Tatsuo Tomeoka
It has been interesting reading the recent posts on “Chawan.” I always learn much from those who regularly post here. Although I am no expert on tea bowls, here are some comments that I would like to add over the course of a few posts.
CHAWAN SHAPE & SIZE
When asking about the size or shape of a “true chawan,” the question may be akin to asking about the same qualities in a coffee cup. There are functional aspects that must be met first and foremost, but they is also a very wide variety of chawan shapes and sizes. I don’t think that any one is considered more superior to another. They all have their own specific uses and enjoy the personal preferences of individual users.
In terms of shape, the functions of the three basic shapes are related to their season of use. The well-shaped, or “ido,” chawan is typically used in spring or fall and can also be used year-round. The straight-sided, deeper, “fuyu” (winter) chawan is used in winter as the shape is designed to both retain the tea’s heat and provide warmth to the hands of the user. The wider, flared rim of the more shallow “natsu” (summer) chawan is meant to allow cooling of the tea during the hot season. There are also shapes such as “kutsu-gata” (shoe-shaped) which resembles a squeezed version of the fuyu-chawan, making the rim shape a narrow oval, instead of circular. The traditional “tenmoku” (not refering to the glaze, but to the mountain in China’s Zhejiang Province from which the practice of tea came to Japan via Buddhist monks, and from where the glaze name came from) chawan is nearly cone-shaped with a foot so small that a stand is required for use of this bowl. There are also miniature chawan used for traveling, that differ only in size and use a special chasen (whisk) that is also miniature. These shapes are all used in tea, with some folks adhering more strictly than others to the season or to the level of formality. I use all shapes any time of year. The main issue is “does the bowl function properly for its intended usage, and for its intended particular user?”.
The size of tea bowls vary widely. Again, function partly determines this. Is it large enough for a whisk to properly prepare tea? If you want to know about “averages,” then you may be surprised to know that most tea bowls used in Japan are just that, “average.” Of the tens of thousands of bowls used in Japan, a large portion are probably factory-made “renshuu-chawan” (practice tea bowls) that sell for around $30-$100 U.S. Some may be replicas if well-known historical bowls, but a lot of these probably don’t resemble the ones that potters here are viewing in books, museum collections, or on the Internet. They are stiff, often overly decorated with easily recognizeable seasonal themes, and often lighter that their appearance. Depending on the shape (ido/fuyu/natsu,) sizes run from about 7-9cm in height and 10-12cm in diameter (H. 2.5-3.5” x D. 4-5”.) Weight can be around 200 grams or a bit less than 8 ounces. For lack of a better reference, you can visit http://www.teatoys.com/kusuall.html to see a variety of these practice bowls, including dimensions and prices. Some may find these bowls pretty, others may find them a turn-off. Nevertheless, if you are new to tea bowls, this general reference may easily answer the questions about size and shape of the average tea bowl used in Japan. I also have a few bowls of varying shape and size on the teaware page my tea site, www.charaku-tea.com/teaware.html , and others on my craft site, www.mingei-wasabidou.com (insert “tea bowl” into the search bar.) They are not expensive items (most $75 - $250,) but are represenative of a few local and Japanese studio artist-potters. These may be closer to what potters here recognize as a "tea bowl."
The other end of the spectrum is, of course, the bowls that most potters think of when they imagine Tea bowls with a capital “T.” The Raku bowl “Chojiro,” Shino bowls by Arakawa Toyozo or Kato Tokuro, the National Living Treasure stuff. You can easily find these on the net by searching for the artist or pottery style, or searching a list of National Living Treasures, then doing individual searches with a name and “tea bowl.” You might be very surprised at the variety of shapes and sizes you will find, and the comparisons to mainstay “stock” tea bowls. Some are as large as “donburi” (a large rice or noodle bowl,) and some as heavy as a brick. Others are very much in line with conventional shapes, but may feature unconventional production techniques. For those new to the form; seeing this variety, from the $30 to the $30,000 tea bowl, might be a good way to gauge “what is a tea bowl?”
Hope this is helpful. I'll address tea bowl styles the next opportunity I have to post.
Tatsuo Tomeoka
Seattle, WA
Charaku Fine Japanese Tea www.charaku-tea.com
WaSabiDou Antiques & Folk Crafts www.mingei-wasabidou.com
Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync. Check it out.
Lee
Folks, please be sure to visit Tatsuo's new tea site below:
Charaku Fine Japanese Tea www.charaku-tea.com
WaSabiDou Antiques & Folk Crafts www.mingei-wasabidou.com
Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." -- Albert Einstein
Lee
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=83667&id=550727056&l=9d37d2d450
I made tea in it for the first time with some tasty matcha that Tatsuo
sent me. Thanks Tatsuo!
If you click on the first image, you will get the size and weight
of the bowl.
Tatsuo Tomeoka
Thank you for sending the image of Shimaoka-Sensei's chawan. I am happy that my matcha is being enjoyed in it. I hope it is worthy of these surroundings.
If anyone on ClayCraft needs matcha, I'd like to offer a 2 for 1 deal. Good matcha is not inexpensive, and it seems that many are still experimenting with matcha and matcha bowls. Times are also economically tight for everyone right now. Still, it's my hope that people will enjoy the benefits of drinking matcha regularly, so I need to do my share to make this happen. It's also my hope that those who want to make tea bowls are able to make good ones, which requires some experience making matcha in their bowls.
If anyone on the list would like to take advantage of this, just place a regular order for matcha (& other items if you desire) on the site, www.charaku-tea.com ,and then send me a separate e-mail through the 'contact' link saying you are a ClayCraft List Member and a request to double your matcha order. If you want 2, just order 1; if you want 4, just order 2, etc. No additional shipping charges. Use the extra(s) for yourself, a gift, or share the cost with another potter. I'll make this available until current supplies last, probably into early-mid summer when the new harvest comes out, and depending on business maybe longer.
Best regards,
Tatsuo Tomeoka
Charaku Fine Japanese Tea www.charaku-tea.com
WaSabiDou Antiques & Folk Crafts www.mingei-wasabidou.com
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