This exceptional Shimadai Chawan — a matched pair of gold and silver Raku tea bowls — was crafted by Kawasaki Waraku, one of Kyoto's most celebrated Raku pottery lineages. The Waraku kiln traces its origins to the end of the Edo period, when the founder Shichizaemon operated a tea house called "Tanzakuya" in front of the famous Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto's Gion district. Charaku-tea The lineage switched to Raku-style pottery from the second generation onward and has continued making tea bowls in this tradition ever since. The kiln has also been given the honor of presenting work to the Imperial Household. About the Shimadai Chawan The Shimadai Chawan is a set of two generously-sized Aka-Raku (red Raku) tea bowls stacked together, with interiors lined in gold and silver leaf. goo blog Rich in symbolism: The smaller bowl has a pentagonal foot (five sides = odd = yang), representing the crane soaring through the sky — a symbol of longevity and good fortune. The larger bowl has a hexagonal foot (six sides = even = yin), representing the turtle diving into the sea — a symbol of endurance and eternity. Together, they embody the harmony of yin and yang, making them among the most auspicious objects in the Japanese tea ceremony tradition. The Shimadai Chawan is used at the Hatsugama (first tea ceremony of the New Year) and is beloved by all who practice tea in the tradition of the Sen family schools.