Bidoro is the green, glassy appearance seen on unglazed high-fired wares from Shigaraki and Iga, formed when pine or wood ash falling in the kiln melts during firing into a natural glaze.
What to look at
How the bidoro runs, variation in the depth of its colour, and the contrast with the body are the points of interest. Within a single piece the expression differs between where it pools and where it runs.
In practice
It appears in describing natural glaze — a water jar with beautiful bidoro, a keshiki where the bidoro has run. The name derives from the Portuguese *vidro*, glass, a reminder of how much sixteenth-century vocabulary entered Japanese through trade.
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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