The Kizaemon Ido: The Supreme Tea Bowl of Japan

Among all the tea bowls treasured in the world of Japanese tea ceremony, one stands above the rest: the Kizaemon Ido. This unassuming Korean-made bowl, crafted on the Korean Peninsula during the Joseon Dynasty in the 15th to 16th century, is the only Ido tea bowl designated as a National Treasure of Japan. Housed at Koho-an, a sub-temple of the great Zen monastery Daitoku-ji in Kyoto, the Kizaemon Ido embodies the very essence of wabi — the beauty found in simplicity, imperfection, and the passage of time.

What makes this tea bowl so extraordinary is the paradox at its heart. Originally a humble, everyday vessel made by anonymous Korean potters for domestic use, it was elevated by Japanese tea masters to the highest rank of aesthetic achievement. The celebrated folkcraft philosopher Soetsu Yanagi, upon first seeing the bowl, described his reaction as one of astonishment at its sheer ordinariness — and yet, within that simplicity, he found a beauty that transcends all conscious artistic effort.

What Is an Ido Tea Bowl?

Ido tea bowls are a category of Korean ceramics known in Japan as Koraimono (Korean wares). They were produced in kilns in the southern Korean Peninsula, likely in the vicinity of Jinju in South Gyeongsang Province, during the early Joseon Dynasty. In Korea, these bowls served as ordinary tableware — far less valued than the refined celadons and white porcelains favored by the Korean elite.

When these bowls reached Japan, likely during the Muromachi period (1336–1573), they found an entirely different reception. As the wabi-cha style of tea ceremony rose to prominence under masters like Murata Juko, Takeno Joo, and Sen no Rikyu, the rustic simplicity of Korean bowls resonated deeply with the aesthetic ideals of the tea room. Among all Korean tea bowls, Ido ware came to be regarded as the finest, earning the famous ranking: "First Ido, second Raku, third Karatsu."

Ido tea bowls are characterized by several distinctive features: a warm loquat-colored (biwa-iro) glaze made from a mixture of feldspar and wood ash, a "bamboo node" foot ring (take no fushi kodai), and the remarkable kairaigi — a crawling, bead-like texture where the glaze has shrunk and crinkled around the base. The bowls also typically display fine crazing (kannyu) across their surfaces and bold, spiraling wheel marks on the interior.

Why the Kizaemon Ido Is a National Treasure

The Kizaemon Ido was designated as a National Treasure on June 9, 1951, making it the sole Ido tea bowl to receive Japan's highest cultural property designation. The designation recognizes both the bowl's supreme artistic quality and its unparalleled historical significance in the culture of chanoyu (the Way of Tea).

The bowl measures approximately 9.1 cm in height, 15.3 to 15.5 cm in diameter at the rim, and 5.2 to 5.5 cm at the foot ring. Its form is grand and commanding — a thick lip, generously swelling body, and a solid, powerful foot. The loquat-colored glaze covers both interior and exterior, with subtle blue-green tints appearing in places. Three bold wheel marks encircle the waist, and the foot ring area displays some of the most spectacular kairaigi ever seen on any Ido bowl, with glaze droplets resembling scattered water beads. A small area of lacquer repair (urushi-tsugi) on the body adds to the bowl's narrative of centuries of careful stewardship.

The great tea master and daimyo Matsudaira Fumai ranked it as an O-meibutsu (Great Named Object) in his famous catalog, the Unshu Kuracho. It has been described as the representative masterpiece among all Ido tea bowls and is often called the "King of Tea Bowls."

A Legendary Provenance: The Story Behind the Name

The name "Kizaemon" derives from Takeda Kizaemon, a wealthy merchant in Osaka during the Keicho era (1596–1615) who owned this bowl. According to legend, even after losing his fortune and falling into destitution — reportedly reduced to working as a tout in the Shimabara pleasure quarter of Kyoto — Kizaemon refused to part with this tea bowl. Such was the power it held over its owner.

After Kizaemon, the bowl passed to Honda Tadayoshi, the lord of Noto Province, which is why it is also known as the "Honda Ido." From Honda, it traveled through the hands of Nakamura Sosetsu in Sakai (1634), then to the Tsutsumi family, before being purchased during the An'ei era (1772–1781) by Matsudaira Fumai, the celebrated daimyo tea master and lord of Matsue Domain, for the sum of 550 ryo.

The bowl carries a mysterious legend: successive owners were said to be afflicted by boils and skin eruptions. Fumai himself reportedly suffered this fate. His wife, Seirakuin, urged him to part with it, but Fumai cherished it too deeply and instead passed it to his son, Gettan, who also developed boils. Finally, after Fumai's death in 1818, Seirakuin donated the bowl to Koho-an, the sub-temple of Daitoku-ji associated with the great tea master Kobori Enshu. There, released from private ownership, the Kizaemon Ido has rested peacefully ever since.

Koho-an: The Temple That Guards the Treasure

Koho-an is a sub-temple (tatchu) of Daitoku-ji, one of the most important Rinzai Zen monasteries in Kyoto. It was founded in 1612 by Kobori Enshu (1579–1647), the renowned daimyo, tea master, garden designer, and architect who shaped Japanese aesthetic culture in the early Edo period. The temple name means "Solitary Rush-Covered Boat," inspired by the view of nearby Funaokayama hill, which Enshu likened to a lone boat on the water.

Though the original buildings were destroyed by fire in 1793, the temple was faithfully reconstructed between 1797 and 1799 by Matsudaira Fumai, who revered Enshu's legacy. The Important Cultural Property main hall (hojo), the celebrated tea room Bosen (Forgetting the Fish Trap), the study Jikinyuken, and another tea room Sannunjo all reflect Enshu's refined aesthetic sensibility known as "kirei-sabi" — elegant rusticity.

Koho-an is normally closed to the public, opening only for rare special exhibitions every few years. However, the Kizaemon Ido tea bowl occasionally travels to major museum exhibitions, offering precious opportunities for viewing.

Where and When to See the Kizaemon Ido

Because Koho-an does not regularly display the Kizaemon Ido to visitors, the best way to see this National Treasure is through special museum exhibitions. The bowl has appeared at major venues including the Tokyo National Museum, the Kyoto National Museum, the Nezu Museum, and the Mitsui Memorial Museum.

An exciting upcoming opportunity is the exhibition at MOA Museum of Art in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, titled "National Treasure 'Kizaemon Ido' × National Treasure 'Iroe Wisteria Design Tea Jar' — Wabi and Elegance in the Tea Ceremony," scheduled from March 20 to May 12, 2026. This will be the first time in 36 years that these two iconic National Treasures of the tea ceremony world are displayed together.

When the opportunity arises to view this bowl, visitors should pay special attention to the interplay of the warm loquat glaze, the dramatic kairaigi around the foot ring, the spiraling wheel marks inside the bowl, and the gentle lacquer repairs that speak to centuries of careful handling and devotion.

Exploring the Surroundings: Daitoku-ji and Northern Kyoto

Even when Koho-an is not open, a visit to Daitoku-ji offers a deeply rewarding experience. This vast Rinzai Zen complex contains over 20 sub-temples, several of which are regularly open to visitors. Daisen-in features one of Japan's finest dry landscape gardens, while Ryogen-in and Zuiho-in offer contemplative spaces and exquisite gardens of their own.

The surrounding Murasakino and Takagamine neighborhoods of northern Kyoto are rich with cultural treasures. Nearby Koetsu-ji temple preserves the legacy of Hon'ami Koetsu, another towering figure of early Edo art. The area also offers traditional craft workshops, local restaurants, and a quieter, more authentic Kyoto atmosphere far from the tourist crowds of central Kyoto.

For visitors particularly interested in tea culture, the Urasenke and Omotesenke tea school headquarters are located in Kyoto, and several temples and cultural centers offer tea ceremony experiences where one can deepen their understanding of the aesthetic world that elevated humble Korean bowls to the status of supreme treasures.