Tea and Ceramics: Discovering the Connection Through Handmade Vessels
Hello everyone! ☺️
This is Keko from the online staff.
When you drink tea every day, you sometimes begin to notice the smallest things.
"Even with the exact same tea, changing the vessel subtlely changes the experience."
Of course, the tea itself remains unchanged. Yet the weight held in human hands. The feel against the lips. The way the steam rises into the air.
Through a single piece of pottery, the entire time spent enjoying a cup of tea seems to gently shift. Reflecting on this led me to a quiet desire: "I want to try making one myself."
What I attempted to craft were a simple everyday teacup (yunomi) and a tea bowl (chawan) that turned out slightly larger than expected.
At first, I began with a vague idea of the shape I wanted. But touching the raw clay quickly proved that hands do not always follow intentions. Apply just a little too much pressure, and the form warps. Achieving a uniform thickness along the rim is challenging. Finding left-to-right balance requires careful control.
With the tea bowl in particular, I paused my hands repeatedly before reaching a shape that felt right.
When holding the finished pieces for the first time, a simple thought emerged: "I want to drink tea from this."
A slightly thick rim. A rounded body that rests naturally within the palms.
Today, this bowl is no longer reserved strictly for preparing matcha.
It holds zenzai (sweet red bean soup).
It serves as a small dish for side meals.
It holds fresh seasonal fruit.
Though originally intended as a thin-style tea bowl (usucha-wan), it unexpectedly blends into almost any context. A single vessel gradually dissolved into the rhythm of daily living.
Perhaps ceramics carry no rigid rules dictating how they must be used.
When the vessel changes, the time spent around tea changes as well.
The moment spent observing its shape.
The moment felt holding it in hand.
The moment lifted to the lips.
All of these moments form the complete experience of tea time.
My attempt at pottery began with a modest wish: simply to enjoy drinking tea a little more deeply. Trying it firsthand revealed endless unpredictability—yet that unpredictability itself made for a genuinely meaningful experience.
Beyond the tea itself, I look forward to gradually sharing more about the vessels and tools that enrich these moments.
I hope you, too, find a moment to slow down and enjoy your tea with a favorite vessel.