Blue Blossoms Beneath the Snow

A chawan of Tao clay, wrapped in straw ash glaze and drawn through reduction firing — where the blue that lives within the earth is coaxed into being.

Fired in an atmosphere starved of oxygen, the glaze upon the red clay transforms — deepening into a blue of quiet mystery.

The interior of the bowl is white, still, and deep — like a field of snow no foot has ever crossed. And there, in its depths, the faintest blue. As if a flower, buried beneath the snow, were still breathing.

The foot — to which the artist speaks with particular devotion — holds the bowl with quiet strength. Stable in the hand, yet never rigid. It is the foundation upon which the dignity of the whole chawan rests.

The depth of the inner base is shaped to welcome the chasen — allowing it to move with ease, and the tea to rise with grace.

The blue of the glaze and the texture of the earth weave a landscape unique to each bowl — a work that grows more dear with every use.

In the stillness of the tea gathering, the blue of the glaze draws a single bowl of tea into something deeper — a quieter, more profound taste.

── What Is TAO Clay? ──

Tao — the way things are, as nature intended.
“Tao Clay” comes from TAO, an artist community nestled within Myojin-yama in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima. There, the earth is handled with reverence — shaped as little as possible by human hands, so that its natural vitality and texture may speak for themselves.

── About This Work ──

By honoring the raw earth in its purest form, each vessel draws forth the primal vitality that lies within the clay itself. Enriched with beneficial microorganisms and shaped through a unique process of harmonic treatment, this work transcends the merely physical. It resonates with the breath of all creation, embodying the gifts of nature in their most essential form. May its presence bring that quiet power into your space.

── About the Paulownia Box and Daily Care ──

Each work is delivered in a paulownia wood presentation box. Yet the maker’s wish is this: “Do not let it sleep within the box. Bring it out, let it be seen, and feel the energy of the vessel directly.”
It is said that sake poured into these vessels takes on a new and finer taste — as if the clay itself transforms what it holds.
Display it and feel its quiet strength. Use it and discover how it changes what you taste. In the rhythm of daily life, let yourself resonate with the vessel.