MIZUSASHI ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE VIEWING ROOM | JUNE 14 - JULY 3, 2025

Water in a Covered Sea: 12 Contemporary Mizusashi for the Tea Ceremony

The mizusashi or water container is a very important element of the Chanoya or tea ceremony performance.  The mizusashi can be made form various materials ranging from ceramic to glass or wood.  They are most often lidded, either continuing the original clay and surface of the jar itself or a wood or lacquer piece carved to fit.  A scoop is used to take water from the mizusashi and refill the kettle used in pouring the water for the ceremonial tea. 

We have always admired an architectural grace, beauty, and power in these vessels which do not get as much play in this country as do the more frequently shown or used chawan or tea bowls.  We see them as sculpture, often reflecting the artistic personalities of the ceramists manifesting in the same ceremonial context but at the same time being less formally regimented than the tea bowls. 

It is our pleasure to present a Contemporary selection of 12 pieces online from the artists we show in the gallery, both by Japanese ceramists or by Western artists who have studied in Japan or with Japanese teachers. 

The artists are: Robert Fornell, Osamu Inayoshi, Shozo Michikawa, Richard Milgrim, Akihiro Nikaido, and Mike Weber.

Mike Weber
Mizusashi
Woodfired ceramics w/ natural ash glaze
7 x 7 x 4.5 inches
17.8 x 17.8 x 11.4 cm
MWe 4

$1,200

Robert Fornell
Tengu Mizusashi/Water Container, 2023
Stoneware
6.75 x 5.5 x 5.75 inches
17.1 x 14 x 14.6 cm
RFo 171

$900

Richard Milgrim
Concord Kiln Squared Mouth Water Container with Black Lacquer Lid / Konko Gama Yohō Kuchi Mizusashi, 2013
Stoneware
7.5 x 7 x 7 inches
19.1 x 17.8 x 17.8 cm
RMi 26

$2,600

Mike Weber
Mizusashi - Water Jar, 2023
Wood fired ceramic
7.5 x 10 x 8.5 inches
19.1 x 25.4 x 21.6 cm
MWe 66

$900

Shozo Michikawa
Mizusashi
Stoneware with Kohiki glaze
6 x 6 x 6 inches
15.2 x 15.2 x 15.2 cm
SMi 9

$3,000

Mike Weber
Mizusashi - Water Jar, 2023
Wood fired ceramic
6.5 x 8.5 x 8.5 inches
16.5 x 21.6 x 21.6 cm
MWe 67

$900

Richard Milgrim
Concord Black Water Container / Konko Guro Yahazuguchi Mizusashi, 2022
Stoneware
7.5 x 6 x 6 inches
19.1 x 15.2 x 15.2 cm
RMi 27

$2,800

Robert Fornell
Gray/Black/Silver Jyubako/ Bento Box, 2023
Stoneware
6.25 x 7 x 7 inches
15.9 x 17.8 x 17.8 cm
RFo 173

Akihiro Nikaido
Mizusashi, 2015
Ceramic
4.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches
11.4 x 14 x 14 cm
ANk 10

$1,000

Osamu Inayoshi
Natural Ash Glaze Kurinuki Water Jar, 2024
Ceramic
7 x 7 x 7 inches
17.8 x 17.8 x 17.8 cm
Oin 94

$1,600

Mike Weber
Mizusashi, 2017
Ceramic, anagama wood-fired for multiple days
5 x 7.5 x 7.5 inches
12.7 x 19.1 x 19.1 cm
MWe 21

$1,000

Mike Weber
Mizusashi - Water Jar, 2023
Wood fired ceramic
5.5 x 8 x 8 inches
14 x 20.3 x 20.3 cm
MWe 68

$900