AYAMEKI BOWL
彩めきの器
⌘ Focus on Flavor and Imagination ⌘
Introducing the original Ayameki Coffee
& Tea Bowl, a collaboration between potter and siphonist.
This bowl is filled with the expertise and knowledge of both craftsmen.
Artist
Location
Material
Size
Weight
Capacity
: Hiroshi Taruta (Potter)
: Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
: Porcelain Technique: Hotarude
: Approximately 100mm in diameter, 70mm in height
: Approximately 170g
: Approximately 300ml
Please note the following details about this handmade product :
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Due to the manual craftsmanship, each piece possesses its own distinct characteristics.
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Variations in size, weight, and capacity are to be expected due to the nature of the handmade process.
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The patterns of fluctuation are unique to each individual bowl.
⌘ Relationship between Siphon Coffee and Cup
Just like how the flavor of tea or wine can vary depending on the cup or glass, the flavor of coffee can also change with different the cup. In particular, siphon coffee, with its high brewing temperature, allows you to distinctly perceive the aroma carried by rising steam and experience the evolving taste as it cools to room temperature. The choice of cup plays a crucial role in highlighting these flavor differences. Since Yoshinobu Nakayama became the Siphonist Champion for the second time in 2015, he has been envisioning the creation of cup that enhance the flavor experience of coffee brewed primarily with a siphon.
Siphonist Champion Yoshinobu Nakayama
⌘ A miraculous encounter
Afterwards, the specifications for the vessel started to take form, including its thinness, porcelain material, open mouth, and a practical capacity of around 170ml. However, it was frustrating that I couldn't quite bring these requirements to life. In 2018, when I competed in the World Siphonist Championship for the third time, I was in search of cup to use in the competition. By chance, I came across Mr.Taruta's pottery (at that time, I had no personal acquaintance with him). I was captivated by the unique undulating patterns created through the Hotarude technique, and I purchased the pottery I found online. When I brewed coffee and drank it from that bowl, I thought, "This is it!" and attempted to gather the necessary quantity for the competition. However, I couldn't acquire enough bowls in the same shape, so I had to give up on using them.
Four years had passed, and I had changed jobs and was now working at a tea shop in Nagoya. It was during a gallery event held at the tea shop that I had a serendipitous encounter with Mr. Taruta. He happened to be present at the event, which was a collaborative effort between the tea shop and him. It was our first meeting, and even though it was a chance encounter, it left a lasting impression.
When I shared the story of wanting to use his pottery for the world competition, Mr. Taruta was thrilled. With his extensive experience in the beverage industry, he expressed a genuine interest in understanding the specific requirements I had for the vessels. This naturally led to a conversation about pottery-making. The meeting of two professionals and the synergy that emerged from it propelled the vision I had for the vessels since 2015 to materialize almost instantaneously.
⌘ What is beauty?
I believe that things that truly touch the human heart should possess both functionality and beauty.
Speaking of beauty, the undeniable charm lies in the exquisite technique known as "undulating Hotarude." After intricately carving the surface to create translucent patterns, it is then filled with a transparent glaze and fired, allowing the patterns to come to life in the presence of light. This technique, called Hotarude, draws a parallel to the gentle glow of fireflies. Hiroshi Taruta skillfully captures this undulating effect in his work. Inspired by the swirling steam rising from a piping hot siphon coffee, the Ayameki bowls were meticulously crafted with deeper and wider carvings, intensifying the undulations. When brewing not only coffee but also vibrantly colored tea, one can experience the captivating beauty from both the exterior and interior of the bowl.
⌘ The Essence of Functionality
When enjoying a beverage brewed with a siphon, it is typically served hot at around 80 degrees Celsius. However, when you drink it from this handleless vessel, it feels "too hot to hold."
Siphon coffee, brewed at high temperatures, requires a moment to cool down before it can be comfortably held. By the time it reaches a manageable temperature of around 70 degrees Celsius, you can gradually savor a well-balanced flavor with enhanced sweetness on the palate. The absence of a handle in this vessel allows you to directly experience the transition from focusing on the aroma to savoring the taste. In traditional Japanese pottery, handles are rarely incorporated. If handles were present, it would be challenging to gauge the liquid's temperature and could potentially cause burns. Japanese pottery is designed to provide a direct sensory experience, allowing you to connect with nature firsthand. Rather than being inconvenienced by the "too hot to hold" aspect, it embraces the opportunity to engage directly with nature. While functionality often emphasizes convenience, the Ayameki Bowl embodies a refined functionality that seeks to capture this essence.
⌘ The ever-changing landscape of aroma
The flavor of coffee, tea, and anything else changes with temperature.
High quality products allow you to enjoy the aromas of various ingredients without being negatively affected by any temperature range.
What seems obvious is something that is hard to notice. By drinking from this cup, the view through Hotarude will change as you drink, and we hope that you will feel the "change in view" = "change in flavor" from the appearance that suddenly catches your eye! This is our wish. We want to create an opportunity for people to naturally feel the change of scenery without making it difficult. We want to create such an opportunity. Ayameki bowl are more than just bowl. This is guide on a journey to enjoy the aroma.
Whether it is coffee, tea, powdered green tea, soup or small dishes.
It is a coffee and tea bowl that has been completed by visiting all kinds of flavors and the ever-changing landscape of aromas.
Why don't you take a trip with Ayameki bowl and enjoy the scenery of aroma?
What is Hotarude?
Hotarude is a technique in which the base is intricately crafted using Sukashibori (openwork), and then the spaces are filled with transparent glaze before undergoing firing. In Japanese, "Hotaru" is a firefly. People likened the light of openwork to the light of a firefly. The flickering light created by Mr. Taruta's Hotarude is simply breathtaking, evoking the image of rice ears gracefully swaying in the wind. Furthermore, the view seen through the liquid from both the outside and inside of the vessel naturally transforms, adding to its allure.
Pale Blue porcelain glaze
The soft blue hue of the glaze gently brings depth to the white vessel.
The contrast with the shadow of the Hotarude carving evokes a sense of natural beauty.
Attention to the rim of the bowl
The subtle curvature has a significant impact on the drink's flavor impression.
It's characterized by a bright and spreading taste.
We tried different shapes and eventually arrived at this slight bend.
Bowl Shape
The shape of this bowl gently and continuously extends from the bottom to the mouth.
Liquid appears to cling to the moist glaze and flows smoothly.
A moderate amount of coffee or tea naturally spreads in the mouth.
The cup's diameter, which covers up to the nose, delicately carries the aroma into the nostrils.
A particularly hot siphon coffee takes about 7 minutes to reach the drinking temperature.
The thin thickness of the Ayameki bowl dissipates heat to the outside of the bowl and quickly brings the temperature to that of ready-to-drink coffee.
Engraving of Fluctuation
The "Fluctuation of Fragrance" is the symbol of the Saihon-no-Ma (彩盆の間) logo.
The emblem of the logo, which can also be seen on Mr.Taruta's Hotarude technique, is engraved on the underside of the bottom surface.
Potter Hiroshi Taruta
Hiroshi Taruta is a ceramic artist representing Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, renowned for its rich ceramic art heritage. He skillfully combines the clear translucence of porcelain clay, the gentle blue of blue-white porcelain glaze, the delicate shadows formed through carving, and the captivating "Hotarude" technique that allows light to permeate.
By harmonizing these beautiful elements, he aims to create artworks that resonate with the imagery he draws from nature. His goal is to craft pieces that emanate exquisite light, captivating and enhancing the inherent beauty of the ceramic medium.
