*SHIPPING OPTIONS VARY DEPENDING ON THE DESTINATION, PLEASE SCROLL TO THE END OF THIS LISTING FOR MORE DETAILS.

This listing is for a splendid Shigaraki-ware tea set made by distinguished potter,  Takahashi Rakusai IV. The set consists of a small 175ml hobin teapot, a yuzamashi for adjusting the water temperature, and five teacups. The yuzamashi is an essential item for making good quality tea. Boiled water should be poured into the yuzamashi before going anywhere near the teapot. This allows the water to cool down and become the correct temperature, which is ideally around 80 degrees Celsius. This type of tea set is intended for making sencha or genmaicha. Sencha is a Japanese green tea made without grinding the tea leaves, whereas genmaicha is green tea combined with roasted brown rice. Each piece is signed and the set comes with its original signed storage box, and a Japanese language profile paper. It also comes with a yellow wrapping cloth for when the teapot is not in use.    

The Takahashi family has the honour of being one of the original potter families in Shiga, the first being Takahashi Tozaemon in the 1830s. They are largely responsible for reviving the techniques and traditions that were almost lost from long ago, and in 1964 the third generation was designated as an Intangible Cultural Property. The Rakusai family is probably best known for their three landscapes effect – a combination of fire colour, scorch markings, and vitrified glass. Takahashi Rakusai IV (b.1925) is the fourth generation master of the Takahashi family kiln, taking over in 1976 after the third generation passed away. Rakusai IV trained under Rakusai III, and he became a master at wood firing. He held various solo exhibitions in Japan, as well as a solo exhibition in Los Angeles. He was certified as a Traditional Craftsman of Shiga Prefecture by the Japanese government, and he served as Chairman of the Shigaraki Ceramic Artists Association. The Takahashi kiln is now in its fifth generation and headed by Rakusai IV’s eldest son, Kozo (b.1954). **Fellow sellers, this information was researched by Kominka Zakka and cannot be used in your own listings.

Shigaraki-ware refers to pottery made in Shiga Prefecture. Shigaraki is perhaps one of the more well-known types of stoneware with its origins dating back to the Kamakura period. The Shiga region is home to one of the six oldest kilns in Japan, and this is because of its superb clay. It has a reddish-orange colour, along with a natural ash glaze acquired from the deposit of ashes in the kilns. Pieces of quartz, feldspar or silica can often be found on the surface, giving Shigaraki a wonderful gritty texture and rustic charm. Historically potters produced wares specifically for the tea ceremony, however craftsmen gradually shifted to producing items such as vases and sake bottles as well.      

Sizes
Box: H.12.3cm (4.8”) x 21.7cm (8.5”) x 16.9cm (6.6”)
Teapot: H.8.2cm (3.2”) x 12.5cm (4.9”) from back to spout
Yuzamashi: H.4.5cm (1.7”) x L.9.8cm (3.8”) x 9.4cm (3.7”) across
Cups: H.4.2cm (1.6”) x Dia.7.1cm (2.7”)                                                                                   

Condition
The entire set is in very good condition with no chips or cracks, the box however has some marks on the interior.                                                                                                   

THESE ARE SHIPPING ESTIMATES BASED ON THE CURRENT GLOBAL SITUATION                                                                 

**Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia:  NO SHIPPING.  Very strict and expensive packaging laws in place and we are not licensed to send products to these countries.  We have no plan to register at this time because the process is in some cases very expensive and complicated, plus each country has its own set of regulations and application process. 

**USA:  Airmail (approx. 15-28 days).  Combined shipping available (please send us a message) but please note that the price does not get cheaper for Airmail or EMS, in fact it becomes more expensive.  If you want to save money and don't mind a very long 3 month wait, request sea mail (11-12 weeks depending on processing and backlogs at destination ports). Inexpensive Airmail Small Packet option unavailable.

**UK and Canada:  EMS Express (approx. 7-15 days).  Combined shipping available (please send us a message) but please note that the price does not get cheaper for EMS, in fact it becomes more expensive.  If you want to save money and don't mind a very long 3 month wait, request sea mail (11-12 weeks depending on processing and backlogs at destination ports). Inexpensive Airmail Small Packet and regular Airmail is currently unavailable.

**Australia, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden and Belgium: Airmail ePacket (approx. 10-28 days).  Combined shipping available up to 2kgs for Airmail ePacket (please send us a message). For EU countries...please note that while Etsy collects VAT at checkout, they do not collect Customs fees.  EU buyers will be required to pay a Customs fee locally in order to receive packages, this is an EU requirement completely unrelated to our store and Etsy.

**New Zealand:  Airmail ePacket available, please contact us if you would like something.

**Asia:  Airmail ePacket.  We only have shipping to Singapore and Hong Kong activated, please contact us if you are in a different country and we will gladly add your destination to the listing so you can check out.

**Russia:  No shipping methods available.