Namako ash glazed flat tea bowl, Huining ware

This is the first time we are introducing a Huining (Kainei) tea bowl on our web store.

Huining is a general term for pottery fired in Huining, located in what is now northern North Korea, near the border with China.

Source: Catalog of Korean Ceramics, Japan Folk Crafts Museum, 2009

Many pieces of Huining ware have been passed down in Japan since ancient times, and have been used as utensils for the tea ceremony. Although there are only a few of them, they are familiar to us, but in fact research on them has not progressed much, and there is much mystery surrounding them.

The highlight of Huining ware is, first and foremost, the colors produced by the glaze called sea cucumber glaze. Korean pottery using ash glaze (namako glaze) is limited, and it has a charm that sets it apart from pottery from the central and southern part of the Korean peninsula, such as white porcelain, Buncheong ware, and black Goryeo ware.

Namako ash glaze pottery originated in the Jun kilns of China, but one theory is that it spread from Jun kilns to Huining kilns and then to Japan, connecting with Madara Karatsu in Kyushu, where Korean potters were deeply involved.

Although the color of the Huining ware varies depending on the piece, this piece has a bluish milky color with mottled patterns, which is characteristic of the namako ash glaze. The inside has changed color to purple and blue in places, and the surface is covered with fine crazing, creating a layered and complex texture.

Another attractive feature is the flat bowl shape, which is not often seen in Huining. One tends to see katakuchi bowls and slightly larger, more bowl-shaped bowls, but shallow, wide bowls like this one are surprisingly rare.

The thick, slightly curved shape fits comfortably in the hand, and the slightly rough texture of the glaze is a pleasant feature. It also reflects the green color of the tea very well.

It comes with a bentwood container. It is a stylish design that matches the atmosphere of the tea bowl. It comes with a label indicating that it was once owned by Mr. Shozo Ogyu, the curatorial advisor of the Japan Folk Crafts Museum.