Unknown Maker, Japanese

Chanoyu, a practice focused on the artful preparation and consumption of tea, developed in Japan in the 1500s. It employs a carefully curated array of tea utensils. Tea bowls are central to chanoyu and highly valued by tea practitioners. Tomobako, special wooden or lacquer boxes made for storing tea bowls, play a vital role in protecting the utensils and recording their history. Tomobako can feature the potter’s signature and the practitioner’s appraisals and appreciations, enriching the experience of chanoyu.

The preparation and drinking of tea was an important practice for the warrior class. A pleasurable pursuit that invoked multiple senses, tea was an art form that nurtured the collection of a range of beautiful implements. Grouped here are a variety of ceramic vessels that were produced for the tea ceremony. Carefully hand-built into meaningful forms and embellished with carvings, slips, and glazes, each of these vessels functioned not only as a tea-making utensil but, more importantly, as an object to be appreciated and displayed.