Oribe Bowl

Kan Matsuzaki 

Kan Matsuzaki was born in Tokyo in 1977. His work as a Japanese ceramic artist is well known for its intricate glaze combinations and meticulous attention to surface detail.  

Kan is the son of the esteemed potter Ken Matsuzaki, a prominent figure in international ceramics, whose pieces are distinguished by their elaborate glaze applications and complex compositions, showcasing contemporary interpretations of classic forms. Kan shares the same kiln with his father when firing their works, capturing inspiration – directly and indirectly – from his work.  They still work and collaborate in the same kiln honing the techniques from generation to generation. 

Kan Matsuzaki has exhibited his work internationally, including at the Ippodo Gallery in New York, where his pieces have been featured in their curated shows.  

The Oribe chawan holds a distinguished place in the history of Japanese tea ceramics, emerging during the late sixteenth century under the influence of the tea master Furuta Oribe (1544–1615), a tea master and student of Sen no Rikyū known as the master of the original Japanese Tea Ceremony. Rejecting the restrained sensibilities of earlier tea aesthetics, Oribe encouraged a more expressive and unconventional approach—one that celebrated asymmetry, spontaneity, and the beauty of imperfection in form. The resulting style, known as Oribe ware, is marked by its lively sense of movement, irregular shapes, and bold application of glazes. Each bowl feels animated, as though shaped by both the potter’s hand and the unpredictable energy of the kiln. Surfaces are often layered with flowing green copper glazes that pool and drip with natural freedom, contrasting with the unglazed clay beneath. The texture is tactile and varied—sometimes smooth and glassy, elsewhere rough or softly pitted—inviting touch as much as contemplation.

In this tradition, Kan Matsuzaki’s Oribe-style chawan embodies strength and subtlety in equal measure, its form robust yet fluid, the glaze rich with tonal depth and movement. Every aspect of the piece—from the weight of the clay to the spontaneous rhythm of the glaze—expresses a dialogue between artist and fire. 

Comes with its own wooden box signed by the artist

Size: 10 cm W x 10 cm L 

Box: 15cm x 15cm x 15cm