Chawan (Tea Bowl)

The chawan is the ceremonial tea bowl central to the Japanese chanoyu (tea ceremony). Each chawan is appreciated as an individual work of art, with characteristics like glaze, shape, foot ring, and feel in the hands all carefully considered. Raku-fired chawan, with their irregular shapes and dramatic glazes, are among the most prized. Summer chawan are wide and shallow for cooling, while winter bowls are deep and narrow for warmth.