I'm planning to delve into the world of matcha, mostly because I'm mostly fascinated with Chawan and the ceremonial aspect of preparing matcha. I've been snooping around on past chawan-related threads, and I've found some websites I might order from. I also see some people putting emphasis on actually holding the chawan in person.
I would love to do this, especially since I'm a newbie, but where could one find a brick-and-mortar store in say...southern California (specifically around LA). Also, do you think there would be a massive price difference between buying one online and buying one from a store? Also, I would love any additional advice from the collective wisdom of TeaChat.
Jul 15th, '09, 01:16
Posts: 796
Joined: Sep 3rd, '08, 11:01
Location: Washington, DC
Contact:
Maitre_Tea
Sounds like you really appreciate the wabi-sabi, imperfect beauty of a chawan. If this is the case, I would completely recommend buying a cheap ($30 or less) chawan on-line now just to practice with, and then investing in a more expensive one when you can actually see it, hold it, and handle it. My opinion is that you should really have a strong personal (even emotional) connection with a chawan, and it's just nearly impossible to do that from pictures on-line. For me, a chawan's beauty is how it feels in your hand, how is the weight, all the little cracks in the glaze close-up, the real-life colors that photos can't reproduce, the little bumps and curves inside, etc, etc, etc.
I just spent two weeks in Japan, and I went to a LOT of shops trying to find a chawan to fall head-over-heels in love with. I even dragged my girlfriend up and down Chawan-zaka Street in Kyoto for hours! In fact, finding "the" chawan was one of the main goals of my trip (the main shopping goal anyway), and in the end, I came home empty handed. I saw a lot of really lovely chawan that I could afford, and I fell in love with a few that were significantly out of my price range, but I never found that perfect combination of love and price. Honestly, I'm happy I didn't settle for something I wasn't nuts about simply to own one. In the end, I bought a $10 chawan that I thought was "pretty cool", and that will hold me over til I find that "meant-to-be" piece... But that's just my two cents!
Wish I could direct you to somewhere in Cali, but I'm in NYC. Good luck with your search!
I just spent two weeks in Japan, and I went to a LOT of shops trying to find a chawan to fall head-over-heels in love with. I even dragged my girlfriend up and down Chawan-zaka Street in Kyoto for hours! In fact, finding "the" chawan was one of the main goals of my trip (the main shopping goal anyway), and in the end, I came home empty handed. I saw a lot of really lovely chawan that I could afford, and I fell in love with a few that were significantly out of my price range, but I never found that perfect combination of love and price. Honestly, I'm happy I didn't settle for something I wasn't nuts about simply to own one. In the end, I bought a $10 chawan that I thought was "pretty cool", and that will hold me over til I find that "meant-to-be" piece... But that's just my two cents!
Wish I could direct you to somewhere in Cali, but I'm in NYC. Good luck with your search!
Maitre-Tea (clever and awesome avatar name!),
Hmmm. Humbly, I both do and don't resonate with Ting's comments.
I do in that it would be great and truly informative to hold, feel, and resonate spiritually/energetically with a chawan before purchasing it, especially if it is expensive, and especially if I'm looking for "The One" - but I also think this could lead to a valuable lesson in patience - particularly if there aren't any chawan sellers nearby! (Ting - may you find your dream chawan, and may it sing in/to your heart and soul!).
I part with Ting, in that, for myself, I don't want or need to limit myself to only one chawan. I am aware that not everyone is like this. And also, it just isn't convenient or even possible for many of us to physically shop chawan.
Something that influences me is my appreciation of following and trusting the moment, the here and now, and when I am deeply drawn to something, it always works to move toward it sooner than later (for me), as I've found that sometimes with the inevitability of change, opportunities/impulses/windows to new interests or to explore new things are lost. Sometimes windows close, but not always. So while patience can pay off, patience can also lead to lost opportunity, a lost trailhead to an auspicious path - but this is particularly me.
I actually have become a lover of matcha and chawan, and so have a few chawan now, with almost certainly more to come - (almost, but not quite a collector I fear!) My two favorite chawan are from online purchase - chawan I never held, felt, etc. One is from Cory Lum and the other from Rob Fornell. What helped me choose was that I viewed the images again and again, and viewed other images also for a kind of image sounding-board effect, took a timely break from viewing, then came back several times to view again. When I was ready I chose and purchased. And each chawan I have purchased (not just these two, I have a total of six) has taught me deeply about the family of chawan. There were surprises - both were larger than I imagined in my hand than I gleaned from the photos - but as a 6'6" guy, this was no problem, and also relates to my relative newness to chawan (not having a sense of translating dimensions stated on line to physical experience - though now I have become tactilely informed in this way). I love all my chawan, some perhaps a bit more than others, but this also changes with the day, my spirit, life currents, etc. Also, there may not be only one perfect chawan - perhaps there are a few to suit different moods, days, seasons, currents of life? And, for me at least, the journey with chawan leads me to "The One's", as each is "The One" depending on the day.
Another thought - as you have stated being new - perhaps you might begin with a simple, inexpensive, not necessarily artisanal chawan (Teavana sells a couple of reasonably priced simple chawan, and there is a Teavana down there somewhere - I really don't recommend their matcha though!) - then use it as a tool to become closer to the tea, explore the ritual, find your own ritual, and then follow the currents of life to a chawan that's right for you. (Though I'll admit, having a chawan that sings to me forms a kind of gestalt with the tea and the ritual and the whole shebang, the food I'm eating with my matcha, etc - and I prefer it all together - the gestalt experience! - and if that's like you, find a chawan that sings to you soon in the best way you can and journey on!)
Yet another thought - Den's tea is in torrance, they don't have a tea room, but a warehouse that you can go to and perhaps look at what chawan they have. They sell good matcha (really like the Miyabi), and I think some chawan. Their website is denstea.com. And you can get their ph# from there. Also, they might be able to point you in the right direction as to where to find chawan in the L.A. area (or not, I don't know for sure).
And still another thought - Etsy.com is an artists site, and there are some very reasonably priced chawan there. In the search, put in either chawan, or tea bowl, or teabowl (no space) or all of those, and search the handmades.
I hope this is helpful, and I wish you a fine and fruitful journey!
Hmmm. Humbly, I both do and don't resonate with Ting's comments.
I do in that it would be great and truly informative to hold, feel, and resonate spiritually/energetically with a chawan before purchasing it, especially if it is expensive, and especially if I'm looking for "The One" - but I also think this could lead to a valuable lesson in patience - particularly if there aren't any chawan sellers nearby! (Ting - may you find your dream chawan, and may it sing in/to your heart and soul!).
I part with Ting, in that, for myself, I don't want or need to limit myself to only one chawan. I am aware that not everyone is like this. And also, it just isn't convenient or even possible for many of us to physically shop chawan.
Something that influences me is my appreciation of following and trusting the moment, the here and now, and when I am deeply drawn to something, it always works to move toward it sooner than later (for me), as I've found that sometimes with the inevitability of change, opportunities/impulses/windows to new interests or to explore new things are lost. Sometimes windows close, but not always. So while patience can pay off, patience can also lead to lost opportunity, a lost trailhead to an auspicious path - but this is particularly me.
I actually have become a lover of matcha and chawan, and so have a few chawan now, with almost certainly more to come - (almost, but not quite a collector I fear!) My two favorite chawan are from online purchase - chawan I never held, felt, etc. One is from Cory Lum and the other from Rob Fornell. What helped me choose was that I viewed the images again and again, and viewed other images also for a kind of image sounding-board effect, took a timely break from viewing, then came back several times to view again. When I was ready I chose and purchased. And each chawan I have purchased (not just these two, I have a total of six) has taught me deeply about the family of chawan. There were surprises - both were larger than I imagined in my hand than I gleaned from the photos - but as a 6'6" guy, this was no problem, and also relates to my relative newness to chawan (not having a sense of translating dimensions stated on line to physical experience - though now I have become tactilely informed in this way). I love all my chawan, some perhaps a bit more than others, but this also changes with the day, my spirit, life currents, etc. Also, there may not be only one perfect chawan - perhaps there are a few to suit different moods, days, seasons, currents of life? And, for me at least, the journey with chawan leads me to "The One's", as each is "The One" depending on the day.
Another thought - as you have stated being new - perhaps you might begin with a simple, inexpensive, not necessarily artisanal chawan (Teavana sells a couple of reasonably priced simple chawan, and there is a Teavana down there somewhere - I really don't recommend their matcha though!) - then use it as a tool to become closer to the tea, explore the ritual, find your own ritual, and then follow the currents of life to a chawan that's right for you. (Though I'll admit, having a chawan that sings to me forms a kind of gestalt with the tea and the ritual and the whole shebang, the food I'm eating with my matcha, etc - and I prefer it all together - the gestalt experience! - and if that's like you, find a chawan that sings to you soon in the best way you can and journey on!)
Yet another thought - Den's tea is in torrance, they don't have a tea room, but a warehouse that you can go to and perhaps look at what chawan they have. They sell good matcha (really like the Miyabi), and I think some chawan. Their website is denstea.com. And you can get their ph# from there. Also, they might be able to point you in the right direction as to where to find chawan in the L.A. area (or not, I don't know for sure).
And still another thought - Etsy.com is an artists site, and there are some very reasonably priced chawan there. In the search, put in either chawan, or tea bowl, or teabowl (no space) or all of those, and search the handmades.
I hope this is helpful, and I wish you a fine and fruitful journey!
Very thoughtful post Seeker, especially these points you made above. In all my time in Japan, I never expected to find a "perfect" chawan, as this does not and will not ever exist. However, sometimes I do have the tendency to romanticize things a bit more than I should, and this can lead me to in-action. (And I don't mean the good Taoist type of non-doing either!Seeker wrote:...Sometimes windows close, but not always. So while patience can pay off, patience can also lead to lost opportunity, a lost trailhead to an auspicious path - but this is particularly me....
...Also, there may not be only one perfect chawan - perhaps there are a few to suit different moods, days, seasons, currents of life? And, for me at least, the journey with chawan leads me to "The One's", as each is "The One" depending on the day.
) I think you brought some great balance to my post, and added more on top of that. Humble bow Ting.
And, me too!
I can't tell you how many times due to my own romanticizing, imagining, hoping, yearning, clinging/grasping I have found myself in a fog of inaction.
Reading your tale of searching in Japan, it was easy for me to imagine myself
in your shoes (though I've never been to Japan - perhaps someday!). And I could feel all of the physical and emotional echoes of similar events in my own life (only, thankfully, quieter than when they were happening).
I'm sorry for your disappointing chawan search in Japan, and truly wish for you to find a chawan to bond with deeply.
Also, I must say, I really do love the romantic part of myself, and I am working to bring balance between that part of myself and the other parts of myself - going for a sort of consensus with my inner community, rather than these more typical rebellions where a particular part might take over and run the show for awhile often leading to some out-of-balance experience.
But then, out-of-balance experiences can be such wonderful teachers!
Here's to Balance, Learning, Growing, experience, diminished suffering, and to TEA!
Cheers.
And, me too!
I can't tell you how many times due to my own romanticizing, imagining, hoping, yearning, clinging/grasping I have found myself in a fog of inaction.
Reading your tale of searching in Japan, it was easy for me to imagine myself
in your shoes (though I've never been to Japan - perhaps someday!). And I could feel all of the physical and emotional echoes of similar events in my own life (only, thankfully, quieter than when they were happening).
I'm sorry for your disappointing chawan search in Japan, and truly wish for you to find a chawan to bond with deeply.
Also, I must say, I really do love the romantic part of myself, and I am working to bring balance between that part of myself and the other parts of myself - going for a sort of consensus with my inner community, rather than these more typical rebellions where a particular part might take over and run the show for awhile often leading to some out-of-balance experience.
But then, out-of-balance experiences can be such wonderful teachers!
Here's to Balance, Learning, Growing, experience, diminished suffering, and to TEA!
Cheers.
Nah, no worries. I had the opportunity to handle and inspect some truly fantastic pieces over there- that was an experience in of itself. Also, I did find a yunomi that I loved from the start, and am growing to enjoy more with every use. As they say in Japan- kanpai!Seeker wrote: I'm sorry for your disappointing chawan search in Japan, and truly wish for you to find a chawan to bond with deeply.
Sorry for hijacking the thread Maitre_Tea. Here are some chawan links to make up for it!
http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/t ... sindex.htm
http://www.rikyucha.com/item/list/31/
http://www.hibiki-an.com/default.php/cP ... bufunkkgf5
http://www.2000cranes.com/tea-ceremony-bowls.htm
Jul 17th, '09, 10:15
Posts: 1574
Joined: Dec 30th, '08, 21:16
Location: The foot of the great Smoky Mountains
+1tingjunkie wrote:Nah, no worries. I had the opportunity to handle and inspect some truly fantastic pieces over there- that was an experience in of itself. Also, I did find a yunomi that I loved from the start, and am growing to enjoy more with every use. As they say in Japan- kanpai!Seeker wrote: I'm sorry for your disappointing chawan search in Japan, and truly wish for you to find a chawan to bond with deeply.
Sorry for hijacking the thread Maitre_Tea. Here are some chawan links to make up for it!
http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/t ... sindex.htm
http://www.rikyucha.com/item/list/31/
http://www.hibiki-an.com/default.php/cP ... bufunkkgf5
http://www.2000cranes.com/tea-ceremony-bowls.htm
and rikyucha has so many in a wide wide range of prices..ive spent hours there looking...
Jul 17th, '09, 12:10
Posts: 796
Joined: Sep 3rd, '08, 11:01
Location: Washington, DC
Contact:
Maitre_Tea
I think I'm just going to buy one online, and hopefully I'll be able to buy one in person when I visit Japan someday. Although it would be best for me to buy an inexpensive one, I still want to have a connection to it, and most of the cheap Chawan I've seen haven't really impressed me artistically. Maybe I'm just drawn to more expensive things. 
I think I'm considering a price range of abour $50 - $80. That way I can buy a chawan that comes in a nice box.
*I've also realized that along with buying matcha and matcah accessories this purchase is going to be pretty expensive*
I think I'm considering a price range of abour $50 - $80. That way I can buy a chawan that comes in a nice box.
*I've also realized that along with buying matcha and matcah accessories this purchase is going to be pretty expensive*
Oh, Maitre, important consideration --
strongly consider staying away from raku chawan - raku can contain lead or other compounds in the glaze and/or clay that can leach and be harmful. Also, raku are typically not fired at hot enough kiln temperatures to vitrify the glaze - so the glaze is very porous - thus the leaching.
Just lookout for -raku- in the name and/or description of the chawan.
I was reminded of this while eye-feasting on rikyucha - and noticed raku in the line up of chawan (with the term rakuyaki - I'm not expert enough to know if rakuyaki is the same as raku, but with raku as the root of the word I'm suspicious - anyone have more knowledge on this?)
Best, and happy chawan hunting and finding!
strongly consider staying away from raku chawan - raku can contain lead or other compounds in the glaze and/or clay that can leach and be harmful. Also, raku are typically not fired at hot enough kiln temperatures to vitrify the glaze - so the glaze is very porous - thus the leaching.
Just lookout for -raku- in the name and/or description of the chawan.
I was reminded of this while eye-feasting on rikyucha - and noticed raku in the line up of chawan (with the term rakuyaki - I'm not expert enough to know if rakuyaki is the same as raku, but with raku as the root of the word I'm suspicious - anyone have more knowledge on this?)
Best, and happy chawan hunting and finding!
Why not check out some of our potters who post here and then go to their Etsy site. Mossbeach, Cory Lum, Shy rabbit, etc. They all produce teaware in various styles and often more interesting than many of these online shops carry.Maitre_Tea wrote:I think I'm just going to buy one online, and hopefully I'll be able to buy one in person when I visit Japan someday. Although it would be best for me to buy an inexpensive one, I still want to have a connection to it, and most of the cheap Chawan I've seen haven't really impressed me artistically. Maybe I'm just drawn to more expensive things.
I think I'm considering a price range of abour $50 - $80. That way I can buy a chawan that comes in a nice box.
*I've also realized that along with buying matcha and matcah accessories this purchase is going to be pretty expensive*
Jul 17th, '09, 14:14
Posts: 796
Joined: Sep 3rd, '08, 11:01
Location: Washington, DC
Contact:
Maitre_Tea
I'm a little curious about how functional these chawan are when compared to ones I can find on the before-mentioned sites. I'm not doubting the skills of these artisans, because I've looked at their work, and it's gorgeous, but I'm a little worried about their functional usage, especially when I can buy one from Japan that's almost certain to meet the specific qualifications of being functional
+1.Tead Off wrote:Why not check out some of our potters who post here and then go to their Etsy site. Mossbeach, Cory Lum, Shy rabbit, etc. They all produce teaware in various styles and often more interesting than many of these online shops carry.
In all honesty, when I was looking for chawan, I saw soooo many which were just copies of Sen No Rikyu's famous bowls. I don't know about others, but I find that akin to owning a print or reproduction of a famous painting. Beautiful, yes, but also kind of boring. I would much prefer to own something original and unique. Something that very few others have ever seen. Most of the bowls on etsy fit the bill. I'm quite impressed with many of them. But... that's just me.
The vast majority of the bowls on etsy should be completely functional. Just avoid anything that has "corners" on the inside. The bowl should be well rounded inside to avoid having clumps of matcha powder hiding in the final drink.
Now, if I could only figure out how to make etsy's site work so I could actually see the tea bowls more often, I might actually buy one myself! Anyone else having serious problems with the site as of late?
Jul 17th, '09, 16:32
Posts: 390
Joined: Jun 7th, '09, 11:03
Location: Pagosa Springs, Colorado, USA
Contact:
shyrabbit
Maitre-tea,Maitre_Tea wrote:I'm a little curious about how functional these chawan are when compared to ones I can find on the before-mentioned sites. I'm not doubting the skills of these artisans, because I've looked at their work, and it's gorgeous, but I'm a little worried about their functional usage, especially when I can buy one from Japan that's almost certain to meet the specific qualifications of being functional
Thanks for bringing this subject up, it's a good one...
I've had countless discussions with any number of countless makers and users of teawares from all manner of cultural backgrounds. I have a few thoughts on this subject.
First, I can't speak for the other potters on this forum, (although something tells me they would do the same thing) but I have a 100% satisfaction policy. I will gladly refund the purchase price for any items I make, if one is not completely happy with my work for any reason, if notified in a reasonable time after receiving the work.
I've studied all types of art media over the last 40 years, including Architecture, painting, sculpture, woodworking, silversmithing and not least of all ceramics. As an Architect I am intimately aware of the balancing act between function and art. Function is the primary need of Architecture with that function being far less subjective that most other "Arts".
The architectural design process begins with a very detailed list of requirements for the project. This list is known as a "program", and no two programs are ever the same. How objectively successful the goals of the program are met will determine if the building is functional or not. Most of the time the functionality of architecture is judged within a very narrow critical band with very little tolerance. I love the objective "truth" of great Architecture. Really pretty simple, IMHO.
A Chawan/Teabowl also has a "program", a list of requirements that describe its function. To generalize a bit, the chawan's program will read like a "wish list" of attributes that must be present for the chawan to "function". A chawan's program will not specifically describe how to achieve the list of requirements. This is known as a "performance specification". It is the job of the potter/artist to harmoniously marry the "performance specification" for a chawan with their aesthetic vision. The very nature of a performance driven specification evaluation is that it is highly subjective as to whether any specific functional performance has been met. It would be hard to get just two people to agree, necessarily that "this kodai is perfect", let alone all other aspects of a chawan. Is there a perfect chawan? What might it look like?
Finally, (thanks if you made it this far) in the highly creative world of arts and craft there is very little that is not subjective. In the world of teaware I have spent almost twenty years trying to find a more objective approach, a formula if you will. I've looked for that formula in others work. I've not found one, they are all different and they all seem to more or less function at different levels. This includes teawares made by Japanese potters. Some would have you think there is a very specific route by very specific people to the perfect functional chawan. A Chawan is too non specific (objective) for this to be true.
Frankly, it gives me great comfort to know that I will be making and searching the chawan form for many years to come, as it is not architecture.
Michael
Jul 17th, '09, 17:54
Posts: 2625
Joined: May 31st, '08, 02:44
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:
Geekgirl
Maitre: I have several 
teabowls. Some are intended to be chawan, a couple are just bowls that I felt had the proper dimensions and design. I have found that the chawan I use most frequently were made by artists who have studied chado - tea ceremony. They have an innate understanding of the spirit of the piece, as well as form and function. Short of buying chawan that you can touch before you purchase, I would highly recommend that, if you wish to be reasonably sure of the function of your choice, you purchase from someone who states upfront that they study chado.
No slight intended to any potter who has not, because you can find beauty, form and function with their pieces also.
teabowls. Some are intended to be chawan, a couple are just bowls that I felt had the proper dimensions and design. I have found that the chawan I use most frequently were made by artists who have studied chado - tea ceremony. They have an innate understanding of the spirit of the piece, as well as form and function. Short of buying chawan that you can touch before you purchase, I would highly recommend that, if you wish to be reasonably sure of the function of your choice, you purchase from someone who states upfront that they study chado. No slight intended to any potter who has not, because you can find beauty, form and function with their pieces also.