An Ido-style chawan by Oka Shoichiro of Rakuro kiln, dressed in a quiet ash glaze.
The form is generous — wide at the mouth, deep through the body, tapering to a sturdy foot. This is the Ido proportion: a bowl that holds space as much as it holds tea. The clay speaks through a glaze that does not conceal it.
Ash glaze (hai-yu) is among the oldest glaze traditions in Japanese ceramics. Wood ash, feldspar, and fire produce a surface that no formula can fully predict. Here, the result is a muted gray-green field scattered with pinholes — each one a record of gases escaping during the kiln's final hours. These are not imperfections. They are the firing's autobiography.
The Ido shape carries weight from Korean peninsula origins, where tea bowls of this proportion were daily vessels before they became objects of devotion in Japanese tea practice. Oka Shoichiro works within that lineage, allowing the form to remain honest rather than decorative.
In the hands, the generous diameter invites a two-handed hold. The pinhole texture registers against the fingertips — a surface that remembers its time in the kiln.
■ [ DETAILS ] • Artist: Oka Shoichiro (岡正一郎) • Kiln: Rakuro kiln (楽浪窯) • Origin: Japan • Dimensions: Approx. 14.2cm diameter × 7.2cm height • Condition: No major damage. Tomobako shows staining on exterior • Includes: Signed tomobako
🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ] • Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days • Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking) • Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials
