G2-2 Gaiwan Small - Brown

Regular price: €150,00
Sale price: €150,00
Regular price
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“Food is essential to life.
And I believe vessels have the quiet power to change the way we live, day by day.

A vessel is not something distant or difficult.
It is an intimate form of art, born from the human act of living — from our hands, our meals, and the time we share together.”

— Akihiro Nikaido

Nikaido’s works are loved by many celebrated chefs around the world because, when food meets vessel, something new comes into being. A dish and a vessel do not simply accompany one another; together, they create a new expression.

His pieces are known for their solid forms, which draw out the raw presence and texture of the clay itself. Yet when held in the hand, they are unexpectedly light.

“Japan is a country of vessels unlike any other in the world.
While carrying forward the craftsmanship passed down by those before us, I hope to create vessels that can only exist in this present moment.

I don’t want people to feel they must stand at a distance from my work.
I hope these pieces can become part of everyday life.”

Gaiwan

A teaware piece for Japanese green tea, especially sencha.
With its lid, the gaiwan allows you to enjoy the tea while gently capturing its delicate aroma.

The inside of the gaiwan is finished in Shoki, while the outer body and lid are finished in Yakishime.

Shoki is one of Akihiro Nikaido’s signature works. The vessel is formed from iron-rich clay, then layers of iron glaze are applied by brush. At first glance, it appears to be a very simple black vessel, but depending on the angle of light and the tea it holds, it can reveal a subtle purplish tone. This mysterious depth of color and its iron-like texture give the piece a quiet, sensual presence.

Because it is fired at a high temperature of around 1,200°C, it is also highly durable and resistant to cracking.

Yakishime refers to unglazed vessels made from rough, absorbent clay. It is a firing method that uses the most elemental materials — simply earth and water — and brings them to their fullest expression with as little intervention as possible.

Quantity must be 1 or more

Akihiro Nikaido is a ceramic artist born in Sapporo, Japan, in 1977. He graduated from the Fine Arts Department of Bunka Gakuin in 1999, and established his independent studio in Tochigi Prefecture in 2001.

Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, he launched the “Utsuwa Project,” an initiative to deliver handmade vessels directly to people living in temporary housing.

His major overseas exhibitions include Wabi and Now at Globus Teahouse in New York in 2015; *Wabi and Now -Wa-*, a project expressing Japanese culture through the tea ceremony, in New York in 2016; one to seven: January and July in Paris in 2018; and Wabi and Now -Scatter- at various locations throughout New York City in 2019. In 2026, he presented 7 Vases at Galerie Devals in the Palais-Royal garden in Paris, followed by Teaware and Vases at Formocha in Amsterdam.

Nikaido holds around ten solo exhibitions each year and has exhibited widely in Japan and abroad, including Tokyo, New York, Paris, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Amsterdam.

https://www.instagram.com/akihiro_nikaido/

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The color will change as you use it.
Please enjoy the natural change.

Dye the entire surface with pure oil in advance to protect it.
● Absorb enough water each time before use to guard against staining.
●Wash with Torureru NO.1 (detergent made from rice bran and organic microorganisms).
If you are worried about the smell, boil it with baking soda.

By doing so, you can slow down the dyeing process. If you use the vessels every day as much as possible, it will be good for the vessels to change, and if left unattended, mold may grow on them or the smell may become stronger. Depending on how you use it, the dye process will vary, so please dye it to your own color.