Shigaraki Tea Bowl

Shigaraki ware is associated with tea bowls and other utensils for the tea ceremony. However, the technique was first utilized to produce tiles for the roof of Shigaraki palace, which was built for Emperor Shōmu (reigned 724–49) of the Tenpyō period. Later, during the Kamakura period (1185–1333), the technique was used for utilitarian vessels, including water jars, large pots, and farming implements. Only after the Muromachi period (1392–1573) was Shigaraki ware used for tea bowls.