Home > Art Collections > Japanese Tea Ceremony Utensils > Water Jars (Mizusashi)


Mizusashi 水指 (water jars)

Mizusashi are containers for fresh water used in the tea ceremony. They can be made from a wide array of materials and have a number of shapes. For a partial listing of ceramic styles see Types of Japanese Ceramic Ware.

For more information see: Chado Encyclopedia: Mizusashi or JAANUS: mizusashi.

Scroll down or click on any of the tumbnails to go directly to that item.
Hara_Seiwa_mizusashi (145K) Shinoyaki_mizusashi (125K) Oribe_mizusashi (68K) Shigaraki_mizusashi (48K) Oribe_mizusashi_2 (146K) Kawai_Zuiho_mizusashi (132K) Gyokudo-gama_mizusashi_bamboo (151K) Kyo-yaki_mizusashi_bluewhite (195K) Kyoyaki_misusashi_bamboo&flower (187K) Hirai_Yori_glass_mizusashi (63K)


Hara_Seiwa_mizusashi (145K) Creator: 原清和.
Creator: Hara Seiwa.
Description: tall, slim water jar (hoso mizusashi 細水指); Kyoto ceramic ware; mark on the base.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: diameter 5.5 in., height 7.8 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Side view:
Hara_Seiwa_mizusashi_side (161K) 		Top view:
Hara_Seiwa_mizusashi_top (177K)
Interior:
Hara_Seiwa_mizusashi_interior (143K) 		Mark on base:
Hara_Seiwa_mizusashi_mark (114K)
Shinoyaki_mizusashi (125K) Creator: Unidentified.
Description: tall, slim water jar (hoso mizusashi 細水指); Shino ceramic ware; unidentified mark on the base.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: diameter 5 in., height 8.75 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Detail:
Shinoyaki_mizusashi_detail (166K) 		Top view:
Shinoyaki_mizusashi_top (139K)
Interior:
Shinoyaki_mizusashi_interior (107K) 		Mark on base:
Shinoyaki_mizusashi_mark (74K)
Oribe_mizusashi (170K) Creator: Unidentified.
Description: water jar (mizusashi 水指); glazed green Oribe ceramic ware; unidentified mark on the base.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: diameter 5 in., height 6.1 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Detail:
Oribe_mizusashi_detail (193K) 		Top view:
Oribe_mizusashi_top (193K)
Side view:
Oribe_mizusashi_side (187K) 		Side view:
Oribe_mizusashi_side2 (185K)
Interior:
Oribe_mizusashi_interior (140K) 		Mark on bottom:
Oribe_mizusashi_mark (154K)
Shigaraki_mizusashi (48K) Creator: Unidentified.
Description: water jar (mizusashi 水指); drip glazed Shigaraki ceramic ware; thumb grove on one side to facilitate holding the mizusashi due its girth; unidentified mark on the base.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: diameter 5 in., height 6 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Side view:
Shigaraki_mizusashi_side (43K) 		Side view:
Shigaraki_mizusashi_side2 (48K)
Front view:
Shigaraki_mizusashi_front (43K) 		Interior:
Shigaraki_mizusashi_interior (39K)
Bottom:
Shigaraki_mizusashi_bottom (39K) 		Mark on bottom:
Shigaraki_mizusashi_mark (44K)
Oribe_mizusashi_2 (146K) Creator: Unknown.
Description: water jar (mizusashi 水指); glazed Oribe ceramic ware; unmarked.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: diameter ? in., height 7.5 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Detail:
Oribe_mizusashi_2_detail (191K) 		Top view:
Oribe_mizusashi_2_top (173K)
Side view:
Oribe_mizusashi_2_side1 (159K) 		Side view:
Oribe_mizusashi_2_side2 (148K)
Interior:
Oribe_mizusashi_2_interior (173K) 		Lid:
Oribe_mizusashi_2_lid (145K)
Kawai_Zuiho_mizusashi (132K) Creator: 河合瑞豊, d. 1971.
Creator: Kawai Zuihō, d. 1971.
Description: slim water jar (hoso mizusashi 細水指); glazed Kyoto ceramic ware with mishima style inlay; mark on bottom.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: diameter 4.6 in., height 8.6 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.

See also Kyo-yaki ware ceramic incense case by the same potter.
Detail:
Kawai_Zuiho_mizusashi_detail (180K) 		Top view:
Kawai_Zuiho_mizusashi_top (212K)
Side view:
Kawai_Zuiho_mizusashi_side (145K) 		Side view:
Kawai_Zuiho_mizusashi_side2 (144K)
Interior:
Kawai_Zuiho_mizusashi_interior (147K) 		Mark on bottom: 瑞豊.
Kawai_Zuiho_mizusashi_mark (240K)
Gyokudo-gama_mizusashi_bamboo (151K) Creator.Corporate Name: 玉堂窯*.
Creator.Corporate Name: Gyokudō-gama (kiln)*.
Description: slim water jar (hoso mizusashi 細水指); glazed Kyoto ceramic ware with bamboo design; mark on bottom.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: diameter 4.6 in., height 8.4 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.

*The kiln was established by the potter Gyokudō Tezuka 玉堂手塚.
Detail:
Gyokudo-gama_mizusashi_bamboo_detail (162K) 		Top view:
Gyokudo-gama_mizusashi_bamboo_top (192K)
Side view:
Gyokudo-gama_mizusashi_bamboo_side (140K) 		Side view:
Gyokudo-gama_mizusashi_bamboo_side2 (143K)
Interior:
Gyokudo-gama_mizusashi_bamboo_lnterior (159K) 		Mark on bottom: 玉堂窯.
Gyokudo-gama_mizusashi_bamboo_mark (86K)
Kyo-yaki_mizusashi_bluewhite (195K) Creator: Unknown.
Description: white glazed slim water jar (hoso mizusashi 細水指); Kyoto ceramic ware with a blue birds and abstract design; unmarked.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: diameter 4.5 in., height 8.5 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Top view:
Kyo-yaki_mizusashi_bluewhite_top (276K) 		Interior:
Kyo-yaki_mizusashi_bluewhite_interior (187K)
Side view:
Kyo-yaki_mizusashi_bluewhite_side (182K) 		Side view:
Kyo-yaki_mizusashi_bluewhite_side2 (201K)
Kyoyaki_misusashi_bamboo&flower (187K) Creator: Unknown.
Description: glazed water jar; Kyoto ceramic ware with a bamboo and flower design; unmarked.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: diameter 5.63 in., height 5.71 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Top view:
Kyoyaki_misusashi_bamboo&flower_top (548K) 		Bottom:
Kyoyaki_misusashi_bamboo&flower_bottom (182K)
Side view:
Kyoyaki_misusashi_bamboo&flower_side1 (181K) 		Side view:
Kyoyaki_misusashi_bamboo&flower_side2 (167K)
Detail:
Kyoyaki_misusashi_bamboo&flower_detail (159K) 		Interior:
Kyoyaki_misusashi_bamboo&flower_interior (117K)
Hirai_Yori_glass_mizusashi (63K) Creator: 平井依, 1956-
Creator: Hirai Yori, 1956-
Description: glass and gold foil water jar with wooden lid; mark on bottom; with signed tomobako.
Subject: Japanese tea ceremony.
Subject: Tea making paraphernalia—Japan.
Subject: Glassware—Japan.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: glass.
Measurements: diameter 6 in., height 5.98 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Interior view:
Hirai_Yori_glass_mizusashi_interior (61K) 		Bottom:
Hirai_Yori_glass_mizusashi_bottom (77K)
Side view:
Hirai_Yori_glass_mizusashi_side1 (59K) 		Side view:
Hirai_Yori_glass_mizusashi_side2 (57K)
Mark on bottom:
Hirai_Yori_glass_mizusashi_mark (17K) 		Signed tomobako:
Hirai_Yori_glass_mizusashi_tomobako (52K)
Chadōgu 茶道具 (tea ceremony tools)