『Raku』
Raku is Japanese low-fired pottery and it was specifically produced for Sadou (tea ceremony) .
In the late 16th Century, Sen no Rikyū (a tea master unparalleled in history, who invented the origin of modern tea ceremony) incorporated the spirit of “Wabisabi” into the tea ceremony. Rikyū had a deep preference for simple. He created a new form of tea ceremony “Wabicya” using just simple instruments and surroundings.
Rikyu asked a tile-craftworker named Chojiro to make a new style tea bowl based on the “Wabisabi” concept. Chojiro understood Rikyū's vision and he broke away from the established manufacturing process. He achieved Raku bowl with new technique called “Tezukune” and “Hikidashi”. His bowls were made solely for the tea ceremony having original shape. They perfectly fitted the concept of Rikyu.
This is the beginning of Raku.