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 the nature of clay
tea ceremony bowls
preparing pottery for use
washing ceramics
microwaving
washing sake flasks & cups |
warming sake
tenmoku pottery
raku pottery
shino pottery
ribbon tying instructions
the footring
chilling beer glasses |
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The Nature of Clay
It is important to know that pottery will
gradually change color over time. This is both expected and appreciated
in Japan and, in no way, means that the work is flawed. It is the nature
of clay.
Seeing your favorite sake cup or tea ceremony bowl take on a different
character over the years is a pleasure that only deepens the meaning of
the piece.
A fine piece of pottery, when properly cared for, promises a lifetime of
delight and discovery.
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Oizumi Yohen Chawan
by
Wada Hiroaki |
Tea Ceremony Bowls
When a tea ceremony bowl (chawan) is used over many years, acids and other
compounds from the green tea form a patina on the surface. At first
glance, one might think that it appears dingy and not quite the same as
when it was new. Over time, though, tea ceremony bowls will take on a
beautiful sense of age and history.
The cracks in the glaze - formed
naturally while cooling in the kiln - will deepen in color to make
intricate mosaics; the patina will become a beautiful gradation of
various colors, and a rich luster will appear over smooth areas.
In the same way that antique wood or old copper is considered beautiful
in the West, the same can be said for the changing character of chawan.
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Washing Tea
Ceremony Bowls
Tea ceremony bowls are normally soaked in warm water before using them
so that whipped green tea (matcha) doesn't sink in too quickly.
Such preparation isn't necessary for porcelain tea bowls or those with
uniform overglazes such as celadon or tenmoku.
Afterwards, tea bowls are always rinsed with water, wiped clean with a
cloth, and then left out to dry naturally. They should never be
washed with soap or cleaned in automatic dishwashers.
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Preparing Pottery
for Use
Tableware made of clay should first be boiled for 20 minutes and allowed
to cool naturally. This will not only sterilize the item but also
increase its resistance to heat. Place the item in a pan of water, bring
to a boil over a low flame, and allow to cool to room temperature.
Washing Ceramics
We recommend washing all fine ceramics by hand with a soft sponge and as
little dishwashing liquid as possible. If you do use a dishwasher,
please choose a mild detergent as some brands are quite abrasive and can
gradually dull the surface of pottery & porcelain over years of use.
If not properly dried, the unglazed areas on pottery can develop mold.
In such cases, soak the piece overnight in water and a cap-full of
bleach. Repeat if necessary.
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Kyoyaki Green Tea Cup
(with gold detailing)
by
Kotoura Kiln
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Microwaving Ceramics
Although most ceramics can be used
in microwave ovens, 2000 Cranes advises customers to first heat food in
microwave-safe dishes whenever possible.
The works we sell are all formed, glazed, and fired by artists following
centuries-old techniques. They were not intended for use in the
microwave.
Pottery
Water and other liquids permeate
works of clay much easier than those of porcelain. When exposed to
microwaves, these liquids become super-heated, expanding then
contracting rapidly. Repeated heating will weaken the
integrity of pottery over time and make it more susceptible to damage.
Porcelain
Porcelain ware is more resistant
than pottery to the heat stress created by microwaving. However, works
with gold or silver detailing should never be used in
microwave ovens.
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Washing Sake Flasks & Cups
It is not uncommon in Japan to simply rinse sake
flasks and cups with warm water after use. This is often sufficient to
cut the sticky residue from leftover sake. On some occasions, though, it
may be necessary to use a drop of mild detergent to wash out the inside.
After washing, turn the flask upside down and let it drain overnight. If
not properly dried, the footring area can develop mold. In such cases,
soak the flask overnight in water and a cap-full of bleach. Repeat if
necessary.
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Ash Glazed Sake Flasks
by Ikai Yuichi
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Warming Sake
Sake has traditionally been served
warm, although many types of sake today are served slightly chilled.
When warming sake, it is important to remember that overheating it can
destroy its flavor.
Sake is easily warmed by first placing a filled flask in a saucepan of
water and then heating the water over a medium-low flame.
Generally, warm sake is best when served just above body temperature,
about 100-104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 to 45 degrees Celsius).
A Warning About Microwaving Sake
Vessels for sake come in a variety
of sizes and forms. Flasks with thin necks or gourd shapes should not be
used in the microwave. The high pressure that builds up within their
narrow interiors during heating can cause boiling sake to erupt out of
the flask.
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Tenmoku Pottery
The iridescent quality of tenmoku
pottery is the result of an overload of iron oxide in the glaze. Because
microwaves cannot pass through easily, the surface of tenmoku
works can heat up extremely fast without warming sake or green tea
sufficiently.
2000 Cranes advises customers to avoid using pottery with high
iron-content glazes in the microwave whenever possible.
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Yuteki Tenmoku Sake Cup
by
Kamada Koji |
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Raku Pottery
Raku bowls are fired in a process
quite unlike other types of pottery. They are quite delicate and
naturally porous, so particular care should be taken when using them.
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Raku bowls should be used solely for the
preparation of matcha green tea.
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Do not sterilize the bowl by boiling or washing
with a chlorine detergent.
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Raku bowls are traditionally wiped clean after
use. If you choose to wash the bowl, use a mild, chlorine-free
detergent and a soft washcloth. Do not wash in a washing
machine.
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Before using the
bowl for the first time, soak in lukewarm water for one or two
minutes. This will ensure that matcha does not infuse the porous glaze
too quickly.
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If the bowl has
been stored for a long time, soak again before use.
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Before storing the bowl in its presentation box (ki-bako), let dry for
4 to 7 days.
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Raku bowls are made from a sandy clay which is quite lightweight and
delicate. They do not resonate like high-fired pottery and,
thus, make a distinctive tok-tok sound when tapped on the side.
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Kuro Raku-yaki
Tea Ceremony Bowl
by Sawada Hiroyuki |
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Shino Green Tea Cup
by
Suzuki Tomio |
Shino Pottery
Because of the porous nature of
shino glazes, the color of the item will gradually change after repeated
use.
As green
and black tea seeps in, the network of fine cracks in the glaze becomes
more pronounced, eventually forming a darker gradation around the entire
piece. Sake, as well, will make the pink hues in shino deeper and
more lustrous.
These changes are both expected and appreciated in Japan and do not
mean that the work is flawed. It is the nature of shino. |
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Ribbon Tying
Many of the works we sell at 2000
Cranes come with a wooden box, or ki-bako, custom-made for each piece. The
accompanying ribbon is tied in a butterfly knot called cho cho musubi.
This page will guide you through making cho cho musubi, a skill any
serious pottery collector should master.
Click here
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Tetsusai Ash Glazed Dishes
by
Ikai Yuichi
Hakuryu Ash Glazed Glasses
by Ikai Yuichi
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The Footring
The footring on a piece of pottery
is the best way to appreciate the quality, texture, and "flavor" of the
clay that the piece is made from. It also serves as a good indication of
the potter's forming skill.
Many of the works we sell at 2000 Cranes have rough, unglazed footrings
which can scratch table surfaces and stainless steel sink areas. It is
advised not to use this kind of tableware without a serving tray or
placemat underneath.
When stacking plates and bowls of this type, it is best to keep sheets
of paper (any kind will do) between them to keep the footring from
scratching the glaze on the dish below.
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Chilling Beer Glasses
2000 Cranes recommends chilling
beer glasses in the freezer first before using. Pottery glasses tend to release carbon dioxide in beer more quickly
than glass, thus giving beer a very foamy head. This
can be prevented if iced over first. As with
all fine ceramics, you should be careful not to expose glasses to sudden changes in
temperature. |
Yakishime Beer
Glasses
by
Hiroaki
Wada
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If you have any questions not
addressed on this page, please
contact 2000
Cranes. |
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