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This premium service ensures reliable, timely delivery, though it results in a higher shipping rate. – Created by Ryuji Hodaka (穂高隆児, born 1976), a contemporary Japanese ceramic artist based in Kasama – Hodaka is especially known for his tea bowls and for his “One Tea Bowl a Day” (一日一盌) project, through which he produced more than 1,000 individual chawan – Selected for the 23rd Mino Tea Bowl Exhibition in 2018 and again for the 24th Mino Tea Bowl Exhibition in 2020 – Strongly hand-formed chawan with a gently faceted, irregular body – Expressive surface combining creamy white, soft pink, iron-red, dark spots and subtle kiln effects – A highly individual contemporary interpretation of the Japanese tea bowl Description A vivid contemporary Japanese chawan tea bowl by Ryuji Hodaka (穂高隆児), a ceramic artist whose work is closely associated with the expressive possibilities of the tea bowl. This example has a markedly different atmosphere from darker, more austere bowls. Here, Hodaka uses a lighter and warmer palette, combining soft pink and red tones with a pale, textured white ground, scattered dark spotting and small areas of natural kiln effect. The result is lively and energetic, yet still entirely grounded in the tactile language of Japanese studio ceramics. The bowl has a compact, substantial presence. Its body is not perfectly circular or mechanically regular. Instead, it rises with slight planes and irregularities that give it a sculptural quality when viewed from different angles. These subtle shifts in wall and rim are an important part of the piece’s handmade character. Surface and Glaze The surface is the defining feature of this bowl. Broad areas of chalky white are overlaid and interrupted by passages of pink and reddish glaze, with warm orange-brown accents and dark dotted markings distributed across the body. In some places, the glaze appears to pool or thicken; in others, it breaks to reveal a more granular and dry ceramic texture. Small protrusions, glaze accumulations and subtle firing marks add further variation. Rather than reading as a fixed painted pattern, the surface feels almost pictorial and spontaneous, as if the bowl records the movement of glaze, heat and material across the ceramic body. The combination of pale colour, spotted accents and rougher texture creates a particularly attractive balance between softness and strength. A Bowl Meant to Be Held A Japanese tea bowl is never only a visual object. It is made to be lifted, turned and felt in the hands. This is especially true of Hodaka’s work. The irregularity of the body, the changing glaze texture and the shifting balance of pink, white and darker accents reveal themselves gradually as the bowl is rotated. There is no single fixed “front” in the strict sense. Different sides present different emphases: one may show a stronger field of white, another a more active pink glaze movement, another a concentration of dark spotting or small molten glaze details. This changing visual experience is central to the bowl’s appeal. The Artist – Ryuji Hodaka Ryuji Hodaka was born in Yokohama in 1976. Before becoming a ceramic artist, he spent around sixteen years working professionally in Japanese cuisine. In 2002 he went to Spain as a chef attached to the Embassy of Japan, where he prepared food for high-level official guests. After returning to Japan, he continued his culinary career before eventually deciding to move fully into ceramics. In 2011 he entered the Ibaraki Prefecture Ceramic Institute, later continuing his training through practical ceramic courses, and in 2013 he established his own kiln in Kasama. This unusual path from chef to potter remains one of the most distinctive aspects of his artistic identity. It gives his ceramics an awareness of use, touch and presentation that feels especially natural in functional forms such as tea bowls. “One Tea Bowl a Day” Tea bowls occupy a central place in Hodaka’s practice. He undertook the project “Ichinichi Ichiwan” – 一日一盌, or “One Tea Bowl a Day”, continuously producing chawan as a way of deepening his understanding of form, glaze and firing. By 2018, this project had reached 1,000 tea bowls, an achievement celebrated in a commemorative exhibition. That ongoing engagement with the chawan form is important when looking at a work like this. The bowl does not feel like a generic tea utensil or a repetition of an established historical style. Instead, it feels like part of a continuing personal investigation into what a tea bowl can become through variation in surface, structure and firing. Recognition in Contemporary Tea Ceramics Hodaka’s work has been recognised within the field of contemporary Japanese tea ceramics. In 2018, one of his tea bowls was selected for the 23rd Mino Tea Bowl Exhibition, and in 2020 he was selected again for the 24th edition. These exhibitions are especially relevant because they are devoted specifically to the tea bowl as an artistic form, not simply to ceramics in general. He has also participated in exhibitions connected with contemporary tea ceramics and is known as a member of Hyouge Jissaku, a group of artists engaging with Japanese ceramic history in an unconventional and contemporary spirit. Contemporary Chawan The visual language of this bowl is unmistakably contemporary. It does not attempt to reproduce a classical Oribe, Shino, Raku or Karatsu model in a literal way. Instead, it draws on the broader Japanese tea-bowl tradition while allowing glaze, colour and form to behave more freely. The pink and white tones may call to mind certain historical Momoyama-related sensibilities, but the overall impression is more modern and individual. That balance is one of the strengths of Hodaka’s work. The bowl remains deeply compatible with tea culture while also appealing strongly as a piece of contemporary ceramic art. Form and Use Because of its compact, slightly faceted body and relatively open mouth, this bowl would be satisfying both in the hand and in display. It functions as a tea bowl in the traditional sense, yet it also works very well as a standalone ceramic object. Collectors of Japanese tea ceramics, Kasama studio pottery, or contemporary chawan will appreciate the way it combines tactile presence with a boldly expressive surface. Its lighter palette also makes it particularly attractive in a display setting, where the pink and white surface can stand out clearly against darker wood or neutral backgrounds. Condition The bowl appears to be in good overall condition. Irregularities in shape, glaze, colour, spotting, texture and firing are inherent characteristics of handmade studio ceramics and form part of the artistic expression of the piece. Minor signs of handling or previous use may be present. Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description. A compelling contemporary chawan by Ryuji Hodaka, combining the artist’s deep engagement with the tea bowl form and a vivid pink-white polychrome surface that feels both tactile and painterly. Shipping & Handling We ship worldwide via DHL or EMS with full insurance and tracking. Professional packing ensures safe arrival; combined shipping is available for multiple wins. Local customs duties and import taxes, where applicable, are the buyer’s responsibility. Seller Guarantee We specialise in authentic Japanese ceramics and decorative arts and carefully research the artists and historical background of the works we offer. 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