Iron is the most common metal on our planet. Its compounds are present in significant amounts in almost all types of rocks and sediments found in our surroundings. This ordinary and unassuming element carries extraordinary transformative potential, and its most striking manifestation can be found in temmoku glazes. 

The name temmoku (or tenmoku) is the Japanese term for iron glazes, derived from Mount Tianmu in China, where local monks once drank tea from characteristic bowls. The height of temmoku production dates back to the Southern Song dynasty in the 12th–13th centuries. Their unique appearance made them highly sought-after vessels for tea preparation and enjoyment (teaware), as well as prized export items to Japan, where the style was soon widely imitated. The most famous tea bowls from this period gained the status of Japanese national treasures—only three examples exist—adorned with the rare yohen temmoku glaze, often described as the universe or cosmos within a single bowl.

One modern Japanese potter even dedicated his life to rediscovering its secret. After decades of trials and experiments, he achieved a result close to the original, though he admitted that his work still fell short of the perfection attained eight centuries earlier. Beyond the cosmic beauty of yohen temmoku, dozens of other effects are born from the transformations and crystallizations of iron compounds in the glaze. They often bear poetic names: hare’s fur, partridge feathers, oil spots, tea dust, or tortoiseshell. While some variations are dazzling and hypnotic, the most common are the more restrained and elegant shades ranging from dark brown to black. Yet every hue of temmoku possesses depth and richness: brown is never just brown—it resonates with blood-red amber; black is not merely black, but more like the surface of water in a deep well, or a mountain forest at dusk.

In other words, temmoku takes us into another world; the closer we look, the more it captivates us—in the spirit of wabi-sabi.

How our temmoku glaze is made 

The process begins with sourcing the right minerals. The base of the glaze is locally occurring red granite, which naturally contains potassium feldspar and silica in the right proportions, along with a few percent of iron compounds. The second key ingredient is limonite—an iron ore found in small concretions within post-glacial gravel deposits. Other components include wood ash and local red clay.

All ingredients are ground by hand with millstones and sieved. After adding water, the mixture becomes a suspension in which the vessels are dipped. The type of clay from which the vessel itself is formed has a major influence on the final appearance of the glaze after firing, as does the atmosphere in the kiln. The color may range from dark amber streaked with blue, to deep black, to rusty or metallic tones, or the so-called tea dust effect. An excess of ash shifts the glaze towards olive-orange hues. Of all these, the most difficult to achieve is the profound, true black. A firing usually lasts around 24 hours, reaching temperatures between 1220 and 1300°C.

Temmoku and the philosophy of tearare

Tea bowls covered with temmoku glaze are not just vessels—they are invitations to experience tea differently. Each bowl is unique: its interior may resemble the night sky, the surface of water in a deep well, or a forest at twilight. Drinking tea from such a bowl becomes not merely a daily ritual, but an act of contemplation—aligned with the spirit of wabi-sabi.

Temmoku teaware teaches us mindfulness and the ability to notice beauty in subtle variations—in the way light refracts on the glaze, in the way its tones shift depending on perspective. Each vessel is truly one of a kind, never to be repeated.

Our Temmoku Ceramic Collection

We invite you to discover our collection of temmoku-glazed ceramics. Rooted in tradition yet interpreted through our own hands, these pieces embody the depth and mystery of iron glazes – from warm amber tones to profound blacks. Crafted in harmony with the wabi-sabi philosophy, each vessel tells a story of minerals, fire, and time. Within the collection you will find teaware, bowls, and vases, where every surface reveals unique textures and shades that invite closer contemplation.