Shouraku Sasaki III "Wind between Pine Trees "

All chawan can be fired in the kilns with evenutally wood, The name Matsu came from Kyoto.The word is best known by raku-yaki potters, What u see in my website is Sasaki Shoraku III (1944-). all black raku tea bowls when have design of Matsu means: they have a pine tree.Many popular potter who lives in Kyoto use now the "matsu kyoto clay" The name of Matsue in japanese is written 松 (PIne Tree). in my opinion is the clay used for make pots. Why? Higashiyama hills are in Kyoto,i use to go very often in the Silver Pavillon Gango-jibut not to often at the Ginkakuji temple the golden one.In this temple i use to buy incense called Yamada-Matsu, so with time i understood that incense is made with Matsu. PINE TREESo is quite common to read Sasaki Shouraku Matsu Raku as is legit that the Daitoku-ji Monk wrote his complete name adding Matsu Raku.Sasaki did not start with his father in Kyoto, early beginning many potters came from the landscapes around, so the family went to town only later to relocate the business to the valley of Kameoka, Kyoto.In Japan, the pine tree, or matsu (松の木), means, easy,confortable longevity, virtue, and youth.MATSU in Japanese can either mean "A pine tree" or the verb "to wait". The symbolic meaning of all my Pine Tree bowls is "Long Life". Pine trees show An auspicios symbol is common and happen very often. Sasaki Shouraku Matsu Raku means: The Black pIne tree bowl of Sasaki Shoraku.

Shouraku Sasaki

Shouraku Sasaki was born in 1944, and studied under his father, the second-generation Shouraku. He strives to inspire an elegant and relaxing atmosphere into extremely simple Raku Yaki. His high level and quite broad-based techniques which enable to create elegant works and to duplicate historical treasured arts are highly appreciated not only by pottery and porcelain industry but by Japanese tea ceremony schools.

Shouraku Kiln.Shouraku Kiln, opened in 1903, is one of the most traditional Raku Yaki Kilns in Kyoto. Shouraku Sasaki is the third generation of family artisans at the kiln.

This is one of the best quality and most elegant Matcha bowls in Japan, which creates an atmosphere that attracts every viewer.

Your eye will immediately focus on the side of this piece where the glaze flows down from the rim in a very WABI- SABI style. The waved pattern of dripped-down glaze takes advantage of the property of different fusing points of several glazes. Glaze for Raku Yaki flows quickly and easily, so it is not easy to control where it flows.

The black color patterns made by burning charcoal in the kiln appear not only on the front side as with many ceramic bowls, but on all side surfaces. These special black color patterns as mentioned above are found only on AKA RAKU and are called "Fu". Only one "Fu" is usually made by putting charcoal on one side of the matcha bowl while in the kiln. So, "Fu" appear only on one side. However large numbers of charcoals surround these matcha bowls in the kiln and are burned as pictured on the left. Therefore, many "Fu" appear on all side surfaces. In addition, all "Fu" of this item are of varying shade, which requires a special technique. Another technique which requires great expertise is the application of glaze over the "Fu". Usually Raku Yaki is coated with only one layer of glaze, but this item is coated with 5 thin layers of glaze and is burned in the kiln a total of 8 times.

Your eye will also focus on the bottom of the bowl, on which the earthen surface appears. It is one of a handful of places on which the artisan is able to express his identity on Raku Yaki. The earthen surface is finished with a rough-texture in order to create the WABI-SABI atmosphere, and the color is both red and white. To create this unique texture and color, some efforts and techniques are required, for example unique innovations of clay blending and shaping.

Enormous techniques, developments, time and devotion of Shouraku Sasaki went into creating this single work of art, which was inspired by Chohjiro and Rikyu Sen over 400 years ago. Once you see or touch this item, you can't help but stare for a while.

- Raku Yaki has a water-absorbing property, so it is possible for this ceramic to retain and "sweat" small amounts of water.
- Before using Raku Yaki for the first time, please soak in lukewarm water for one or two minutes. Before reusing after it has been stored long term, please soak for thirty seconds. This process helps to keep Raku Yaki strong and durable as well as clean and stain-resistant.
- It is best to wash the Raku Yaki using only tepid water.
- If necessary, you may occasionally use a mild chlorine-free dish washing detergent.
- Do not sterilize by boiling, washing with chlorine detergent, or in a dish washing machine.
- In case of using this as a dish, don't serve foods that have been made with sweetened vinegar.
he vinegar may damage the glaze. - Take care not to hit the bowl against a hard surface or give it a strong shock.
- Before you store Raku Yaki in its wooden box for long tem, dry off fully in the shae for 4 to 7 days. Otherwise, if the clay remains wet while it is packed away in a box, there is a possibility for the Raku Yaki to take on an unusual earthy odor or even for mold to form.
- If Raku Yaki takes on an unusual earthy odor, you can remove the odor by continuing to use Raku Yaki every day for a week.

Raku initially called Ima-yaki, later were renamed juraku-yaki. Yaki means Ware. Raku has been invented maybe near the Jurakudai Palace thats why they gave that name.Sen no Rikyu 千利休 lived inside for a while. Only later Juraku-yaki was abbreviated as Raku-yaki. Tanaka Chōjirō (長次郎) created a new way to make pottery. And birds you have in your big yunomi were often an important figure for the promotion of the Chôjirô tea bowls. I do not know if your Raku ware are named Muichimotsu, the "Emptiness" . Are similar to an Oguro one, but we need a Life time experience and i need to handle...to see...in terms to give you more informations. Anyway.... one day Mr. Chôjirô met Sen Rikyû dressed with a suit with a symbol that meant maybe raku.

Thats why today u can say today Raku ware even the whole story is described in google in different way-

Chojiro Style Tanaka Chōjirō (長次郎) (1516-?1592) is distinguished as the first generation of Raku ..

(About Raku ware)
The term of "Raku" was derived from the site where clay was dug in Kyoto in the late 16th century and is found in Kanji character meaning "enjoyment" or "ease."

For 15 generations it has been the title and seal used by a lineage of potters whose work formed the central tradition in Japan. This lineage believes that 'Raku' refers to the potters who use the technique, not the technique itself. In 16th century, the first of these potters, Chojiro is said to have come under the patronage of the Japanese tea master , Sen-No-Rikyu. According to legend, in 1598, the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, after Chojiro's death in 1592, bestowed upon his adopted son, Jokei, a golden seal with the written symbol "raku."

Both the name and the ceramic style have been passed down through the family to the present. After the publication of a manual in the 18th century, raku ware was also made by numerous workshops in and around Kyoto: by amateur potter tea practitioners and by professional and amateur potters around Japan.

Raku ware marked an important point in the historical development of Japanese ceramics, as it is the first ware to use a seal mark and the first to focus on close collaboration between potter and patron. Other famous Japanese clay artists of this period include Donyu (1574-1656), Hon-Ami Koetsu (1556-1637) and Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743).