Shigaraki Ware Mizusashi (Tea Ceremony Fresh Water Jar)

Whereas most potters take care to filter rocks out of their clay, the potters of the Shigaraki region understand that the texture created by rocky bits of quartz and feldspar adds tactile and visual interest to their wares. The artisans add only minimal glaze, letting the surface retain its graininess.

Shigaraki, east of Kyōto, has been a kiln site for centuries, originally making utilitarian pieces such as storage jars and mortars. When the tea ceremony gained popularity in the sixteenth century, Shigaraki ceramicists were quick to adapt to the tea masters’ demands for rustic but engaging vessels, such as this deceptively simple water jar.