There is a particular satisfaction in a set where the vessel and the thing it holds share a colour. The Forest Green bowl and holder do this more completely than any other pairing in the collection: the copper-oxide glaze on the ceramic echoes the chlorophyll-green of the matcha prepared inside it, creating a visual relationship between tool and tea that feels considered rather than coincidental. On the tea tray, with the vivid green of a freshly whisked bowl of usucha against the darker, more complex green of the ceramic, the effect is quietly compelling.
The glaze is produced by copper oxide fired in a reduction atmosphere — the same process that defines the celebrated Oribe ceramic tradition, developed in Japan during the Momoyama period under the aesthetic influence of Sen no Rikyu’s successors. At high kiln temperatures with restricted oxygen, copper oxide produces an unpredictable, layered green: teal and vivid at the rim and shoulder where the glaze is thinnest and the copper most active, breaking into a dense, volcanic speckle through the mid-zone, settling into a deeper iron-dark at the base where the glaze has pooled and the iron in the clay body dominates. The chasen holder shows the same progression compressed into a much smaller form, the green concentrated at the top, the dark iron base anchoring it on the tray.
No two pieces fire with identical colour distribution. The photograph shows the character of the glaze; the pieces you receive will share that character without replicating it exactly.
What is included:
Chawan (matcha bowl): A wide-mouthed stoneware matcha bowl in the forest green copper-oxide glaze, with a heavily textured, speckled exterior and a smooth matte-black interior. The dark interior provides a strong contrast to the green of ceremonial-grade matcha, making the colour and consistency of the tea easy to read during preparation. The awa (foam) of a well-whisked usucha sits cleanly against the dark ground. A small pouring spout is cut into the rim. The kodai (foot ring) is hand-finished, with the natural irregularity prized in the wabi-sabi ceramic tradition. For full glaze history and preparation guidance, see the individual Forest Green Chawan listing.
Chasen tate (whisk holder): A ceramic chasen holder in the matching forest green glaze, with the same copper-oxide surface character as the bowl in a more compact, vertical form. The raised interior dome keeps the tines of a bamboo chasen lifted and open as they dry after each preparation, preventing the tine deformation that shortens the working life of a quality whisk. For full detail, see the individual Forest Green Chasen Holder listing.
Who this set is for:
As a gift: the Forest Green pairing is the most visually distinctive of the bowl-and-holder sets and the one most likely to be chosen by someone with a genuine interest in Japanese ceramics or a more developed aesthetic sensibility. The copper-oxide glaze has a depth and complexity that rewards closer attention, and the colour connection between the ceramic and the tea gives the set a conceptual coherence that makes it feel like more than just a matched pair. It is particularly well suited as a gift for someone who already prepares matcha and will appreciate the craft behind the surface.
For your own setup: if you already have a 100-tine bamboo chasen and chashaku, this 2-piece set provides the two ceramic pieces needed to complete a traditional matcha preparation. Both are available separately in our collection.
The Oribe tradition and the colour of matcha:
The copper-green glaze places this set within the Oribe ceramic lineage, one of the most significant styles in Japanese ceramic history: the first major ceramic aesthetic developed by Japanese potters for use in chado (the Japanese way of tea) that broke decisively from Chinese influence and established a distinctly Japanese ceramic identity. Oribe ware is characterised by bold, irregular forms and the vivid copper-green glaze that this set carries forward into a contemporary context. That the green of Oribe ceramics connects so naturally to the green of matcha is not incidental — both come from the same landscape, the same cultural moment, the same aesthetic values.
Care:
All ceramic pieces: hand wash only, not dishwasher or microwave safe. The textured exterior glaze may accumulate slight residue in deeper surface pitting over time; a soft brush and warm water will keep it clean. The glaze will develop a quiet patina with regular use.
