Chawan: Kohiki-style Tea Bowl (Shino-influenced)

This contemporary Japanese tea bowl exemplifies the kohiki (粉引) technique, in which a white slip is applied over an iron-bearing clay body and finished with a thin transparent glaze. Its softly textured surface, iron spotting, and subtle pinholing evoke visual associations with Shino ware, yet its construction and glaze behavior firmly place it within the kohiki tradition.

Physical Characteristics
   Diameter: 12.9cm
   Height: 7.5cm
   Weight: 389g

The bowl’s substantial weight and rounded form provide a grounded, stable feeling in the hands, making it especially suitable for cooler-season tea practice. The gently everted rim and balanced proportions support comfortable handling in both formal and informal temae.

Material and Technique
Clay Body: Light buff stoneware with natural iron inclusions
Forming: Wheel-thrown
Surface Treatment: White slip (kohiki) beneath transparent glaze
Foot (kōdai): Trimmed ring foot with retained spiral tool mark
Firing: High-fired stoneware, oxidation dominant

Kiln and Attribution
This chawan is attributed to contemporary Mino ware (美濃焼). The kohiki slip technique, clay body, and foot construction are consistent with modern Mino studio practice.

An impressed seal reading 「景」 (Kage) appears near the foot. This mark is associated with an unidentified contemporary Mino-area studio potter working under the art name “Kage.”

Dating
Based on stylistic and technical features, this bowl is estimated to date from the late Shōwa to early Heisei period (c. 1985–2010).

Condition
No chips, cracks, or repairs observed.
Pinholing and surface irregularities are inherent to the kohiki technique.
Overall condition: Very good.

Interpretive Note: Kohiki and Shino
Kohiki and Shino wares are often visually similar and frequently confused. Kohiki derives its white surface from a slip layer, resulting in a powdery texture and iron spotting. Shino, by contrast, employs a thick feldspathic glaze that produces a creamy, puffy surface with characteristic orange fire marks.

CHW-320 is best understood as a kohiki-style chawan with Shino-influenced visual character, illustrating how contemporary Mino potters reinterpret historical ceramic traditions for tea use.

Tea Aesthetic
The tactile surface, understated color, and subtle irregularities of this bowl embody a wabi-forward aesthetic. It serves equally well as a functional tea bowl and as a teaching example for understanding the relationship between kohiki and Shino traditions within modern Japanese ceramics.