Tea Bowl (chawan)

Raku ware was invented in the late sixteenth century by the Kyoto tile-maker Chōjirō (1516-?1592), in collaboration with the tea master Sen no Rikyū (1522-1591). Rikyū was then establishing a simpler style of tea ceremony, which called for simple, locally made tea wares, instead of the conventional elaborate Chinese wares. Chōjirō’s hand-moulded raku ware well met the tea master’s aesthetic criteria and quickly gained popularity. While the Raku family of potters, founded by Chōjirō, had exclusive use of the official “Raku” seal, raku-type ceramics were widely made by potters throughout Japan.