Matcha bowl / "Hagi" Hadano Zenzo

Hagi-yaki matcha bowl made by master potter Hadano Zenzo (1942-) at the Hadano Shigetsu kiln in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Hadano Zenzo creates works with a rough surface, but full of a certain elegance and grace. He is very keen on deck kiln firing and uses all his own techniques including wood splitting, straw firing and mixing glazes. He has a very distinguished career as the designated holder of intangible cultural properties in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and has produced many masterpieces.
Hagi ceramics are fired slowly at low temperatures in a deck kiln, resulting in a soft clay finish with little sealing. As it is absorbent, the tea seeps through fine cracks on the surface, called “Kannyu”, which will change their colors over time and create a unique texture. This is called “Hagi no nanabaké” (Hagi changes the tone of the color “seven times”).