Bol à matcha Banko yaki SHIMIZU HIROSHI "IRAHO"

Please note, this item is a unique piece.

This bowl matcha The Irobo chawan (伊羅保茶碗) type was crafted by Shimizu Hiroshi (清水日呂志, born in 1941), a master potter from the Mie region and heir to the lineage of the first Shimizu Rakuzan, founder of one of the historic Banko-yaki kilns. Known for introducing Korean-style ceramics called Kōraide (高麗手) into this tradition, Shimizu profoundly renewed the tea world's perception of Banko-yaki, giving it a more rustic and spiritual dimension, faithful to the aesthetics of the wabi-cha.

After initial training with his grandfather, he honed his craft through numerous apprenticeships in the kilns of Takatori, Tanba, and Hagi, before establishing his own kiln in Komono (Mie Province) in 1970. In 1974, he established a new kiln in Gimhae, near Busan, Korea, under the name Karaku-gama, a title bestowed upon him by Master Tayama Hōnan. Later, he built the Rakuzan-gama kiln in Odaka, nestled in the mountains of Mie Province, where he continued to produce pieces for the tea ceremony, combining the depth of fire with the sensitivity of the craftsmanship.

The Irobo style, which originated on the Korean peninsula during the Joseon period, is characterized by clay mixed with grains of sand and an irregular glaze, giving the surface a granular texture and a "peckled" appearance that expresses the vigor and rusticity of the material. Its open shape, with a wide foot and a slightly inward-curving rim, evokes the bowls specially commissioned for tea from the 17th century onward, designed to fit the hand and eye of the drinker.

In this bowl, Shimizu Hiroshi revives this tradition, imbuing it with the warmth and sincerity typical of modern Mie tea. The material seems to breathe, the texture is rough yet vibrant, and the honey-brown hue captures the light of the fire. It is a work that combines the simplicity of Kōraide with the depth of Banko-yaki, blending heritage, experimentation, and the spirit of tea.

Matcha Bowl — Irobo Chawan (Kōraide Style)
Shimizu Hiroshi — Karaku Kiln, Komono, Mie Prefecture

This matcha bowl, crafted in the Irobo chawan style, is the work of Shimizu Hiroshi (born 1941), a master potter from Mie Prefecture and grandson of the first Shimizu Rakuzan, founder of one of the traditional Banko-yaki kilns. Shimizu is renowned for being the first to introduce Kōraide-style (Korean-influenced) tea ceramics into Banko ware, earning deep respect from the tea community for bridging rustic Korean aesthetics with refined Japanese tea culture.

After apprenticing under his grandfather, he trained in several historic pottery centers — Takatori, Tanba, and Hagi — before founding his own kiln in Komono in 1970. Later, he established the Karaku Kiln near Busan, South Korea, and subsequently the Odaka Rakuzan Kiln in the mountains of Mie, producing works that blend Japanese subtlety with Korean vitality.

The Irobo style, originating in Korea’s Joseon dynasty, is known for its sandy clay body and rough glaze texture, where the firing process creates natural pits and uneven surfaces — features admired for their wild and powerful presence. The bowl’s broad foot and gently inward-curving lip make it both visually balanced and pleasant to handle, qualities prized in tea ceremony vessels.

Through this piece, Shimizu Hiroshi revives the spirit of Irobo with sincerity and restraint. The bowl’s coarse yet inviting texture, warm amber tones, and organic form capture the essence of wabi-cha — the beauty of simplicity, imperfection, and the living dialogue between earth and fire.