The Chawan (茶碗) - How to Choose a Tea Bowl for You?

Why are tea bowls so important?

The chawan (tea bowl) holds a particularly special meaning for practitioners of what many Westerners know as the Japanese Tea Ceremony. We prefer to refer to this study as Sado (茶道, ‘Way of Tea’) or Chanoyu (茶の湯, ‘Hot Water for Tea’), but that is a topic for another conversation.

The chawan’s functional value is easy to grasp: you need a vessel of a certain size, thickness, and texture to whisk a beautiful bowl of matcha. The joy derived from using a specific bowl creates a bond between the drinker and the art piece.

Traditionally, different chawan are chosen throughout the year to reflect the aesthetics of each season; colours and textures should be in harmony with one’s surroundings. The geometry and thickness of the chosen bowl may also depend on the time and place; in winter, one would prefer bowls that keep the drink warm a little bit longer.

Connections with the Tea Bowl Artist

Yet another factor that may influence your choice of tea bowl is a personal.  In Vancouver, we are very fortunate to have a talented chawan artist and friend who fires phenomenal chawan both in wood and gas kilns in BC's lower mainland.

Robert is a long-time educator in the Vancouver area, having taught for 27 years. After graduating with a degree in Architecture, he studied Fine Arts with a ceramics major. Through the influence of his professor and mentor, he became intrigued with and developed a passion for Japanese design and aesthetics.

Robert often rides his bicycle to our tea bar.