Studio Yamahon Iga, Mie Prefecture
Even among the wildly diverse styles of Japanese ceramics, the traditional pottery style known as Iga ware ( Igayaki ) tends to stand out from the crowd. As early as the 8th century CE, potters in Iga, a city in what is now Mie Prefecture, found that the local clay of the region was surprisingly robust and well-suited to make hardy earthenware pots and cookware. Over a thousand years later, artisans (like the UKA-featured Studio Yamahon) still create Iga ware for everyday use as well as fine art objects, exporting them worldwide. The craft heritage of Iga ware is also a notable tradition for travelers to discover when they visit this gorgeous coastal region. Studio Yamahon’s “ Houhin ” – a traditional type of teapot but without a handle – serves the classic purpose of steeping tea with exceptional refinement. The teapot has a modern flair, with its hyper-minimalist white matte glaze, a smooth texture, and silky comfort in the hand, but because it is handle-less, boiling water must be cooled before pouring in. Luckily, even if a trip to Iga and surrounding Mie is not yet on the calendar, a visit to UKA and pouring tea from a Studio Yamahon “ Houhin ” allows diners to experience Iga ware as it was meant to be experienced: as a craft that elevates natural clay to an art form, and a vessel to let food and beverage shine.
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