In the Momoyama period (late 16th century to early 17th century), the tea ceremony inspired the creation of new types of Japanese ceramics. At Mino, a ceramics center in what is now Gifu prefecture, new tea wares—Kiseto, Setoguro, Shino, and Oribe—blossomed. These ceramics, with their strong shapes, colors, and designs, earned extravagant praise. In this exhibition, we explore the secrets of their serene, yet highly individual appeal while comparing them with other arts and crafts from the same period. Through famous examples, we also introduce the renewed appreciation of Mino tea bowls and their resurgent popularity in the twentieth century, in the Taisho and Showa periods.

Nezumi-Shino flat bowl with willow tree design, Mino, Momoyama period
16th-17th centuries, Suntory Museum of Art