A Tea Gathering at the Kiln

Kyoto, Higashiyama. A private tea gathering in the tea rooms of the Makuzu Miyagawa Kosai pottery studio, where generations of artisans have created ceramics for the Japanese tea ceremony. Seasonal tea utensils and traditional Japanese sweets accompany the experience.

The Miyagawa family's history of pottery-making in Kyoto dates back to the Jōkyō era (1684–1688). In the late Edo period, the potter Miyagawa Chōzō established a kiln in the hills of Makuzugahara in Higashiyama, giving rise to the name “Makuzu.” His son, the first Miyagawa Kōzan, later moved to Yokohama, where Makuzu ware gained international recognition through exhibitions at world's fairs.

The Kyoto branch of the family, known as Kosai, has continued the tradition of making tea ceramics since the early Shōwa period. Works by successive generations have been selected as okonomi by the heads of the three Sen schools of tea ceremony — pieces reflecting the personal preferences and aesthetic sensibilities of the tea masters. Today, the tradition is carried forward by the seventh-generation head of the family.

Soft light in the tea room, the gentle sound of water coming to a boil, carefully chosen tea utensils. A tea ceremony in which every moment holds a special meaning.