Red Raku is the other of the two principal Raku lines: a reddish clay under a transparent or thin amber glaze, firing to a soft pink or orange. Against the composure of black Raku it gives a warmer, more approachable impression. Because the clay shows through the glaze, the colour of the body largely determines the character of the bowl.
History
Red Raku also descends from Chojiro's work in the Momoyama period. Among the red bowls Rikyu kept are pieces of plain, warm character, and the line continued through every subsequent generation of the family. Differences in clay and glaze across generations give the type a wide range of expression.
In practice
Its warmth suits spring gatherings and lighter occasions, and it is used for both thin and thick tea. The pairing of a red bowl with a spring theme is among the most conventional and most reliable combinations in the practice.
Sources
- 赤楽（デジタル大辞泉 / 精選版 日本国語大辞典） / コトバンク
Supports: 赤楽が「楽焼の一。素地に酸化鉄の粘土を塗って赤色をつけ、透明の釉をかけて焼いたもの」であること
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
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Raku — fire your own tea bowlShape the clay, glaze it, pull it from the kiln — then use it in IppukuTerm info
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Related terms
- Chawan (tea bowl)chawan
The bowl in which tea is whisked and drunk — usually the most closely examined object in a gathering.
- Raku chawan (Raku tea bowl)raku chawan
Hand-formed, low-fired bowls made by the Raku family of Kyoto; the emblem of the tea Rikyu aimed at.
- Kuro Raku chawan (black Raku bowl)kuro raku chawan
Black-glazed Raku bowls, the most formal of the type, which set off the deep green of thick tea.
- Ido chawan (Ido bowl)ido chawan
The representative Korean bowl type — everyday ware reinterpreted by Japanese practitioners as an emblem of wabi.
- Hakeme chawan (brushed-slip bowl)hakeme chawan
Korean-lineage bowls where white slip is brushed on and the brush strokes are left as the decoration.