Waraku Kawasaki
川崎和楽
かわさきわらく
Kawasaki Waraku is currently the seventh generation to run a pottery in Kyoto that specialises in the production of Raku-Yaki tea bowls.
The pottery was established during the Bunsei era (1818 to 1830), when the founder Shichizaemon, who ran a teahouse called "Tanzaku Sakura" in front of Yasaka Shrine, also produced unglazed pottery alongside his teahouse. In the second generation, the pottery switched to making raku pottery and has been producing raku-style tea bowls ever since. The pottery was also given the honour of presenting its work to the imperial household.
Waraku was given its artist's name by Togo Heihachiro when he visited the pottery in 1918. Since then, the name "Waraku" has also been used as the name of the pottery.
Two examples of bowls by the artist from Markus Hastenpflug's collection of individual pieces.
