Vintage Hagi Ware Tea Set - Masaemon Okada

Vintage Hagi Ware Tea Set from the 1950s (mid Showa Period), made by 6th generation Masaemon Okada. The style and size of the teapot and cups make it ideal for serving gyokuro, or small tea servings. The teapot has a ceramic strainer in the spout, so that it can be used with loose leaf tea. Given that the set is approximately 70 years old, it displays the "nanabake" effect beautifully, where the glaze has transformed colour over time.

• Contents: 1 tea pot, 1 water pitcher, 5 small tea cups
• Packaging: Wooden box
• Condition: Age appropriate transformation, with no cracks or damage, 

Masaemon Okada was the 6th generation head of Okada Kiln, which was established in approximately 1782, during the Edo period. The kiln was established upon appointment by the then-ruling Mori family. It specialises in hagi ware fired in a climbing kiln and is currently managed by his grandson, eighth generation Yutaka Okada. Masaemon Okada's son, Senshu Okada (b. 1916) inherited the kiln from Masaemon Okada in 1966. We estimate that this tea set was made in the 1950s, when Masaemon Okada was still active.

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Hagi ware (萩焼, Hagi-yaki) is a traditional form of Japanese pottery originating from Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, during the early 17th century. It was developed by Korean potters brought to Japan by the Mori clan after the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598).

Hagi ware is made primarily from local Hagi clay, which is rich in iron and gives the pottery its characteristic soft and porous texture. Warabai (straw ash) glaze or a combination of feldspar and ash are used to create a translucent, crackled effect. It is fired at relatively low temperatures, allowing the clay’s natural warmth and subtle colours to emerge. The famous "seven transformations" (nanabake) refer to how the glaze changes in texture and colour with prolonged use, as tea seeps into the cracks over time.

In terms of style, Hagi ware is typically earthy, understated, and rustic, embodying wabi-sabi aesthetics (beauty in imperfection). Common colours include white, beige, light pink, and soft orange, often with a distinctive crackled glaze (kannyu). Tea bowls (chawan) and tea cups are the most renowned form, highly prized in Japanese tea ceremonies. Hagi ware remains a revered form of Japanese ceramics, valued for both its historical significance and its evolving beauty over time.