Landmark Gaiwan Large green_japan Those of us who are

Those of us who are tea aficionados will often be disappointed by the average cup of tea one finds while travelling

and tapering walls render them surprisingly light in the hand

leaf-to-water ratio

this ceramic block gashed by jagged openings resembles rock melting around a vent or hewn from veins of precious ore

as the shape allows the leaves to fully unfurl and develop evenly

Landmark Gaiwan Large green_japan Those of us who areEmerging from the table like a titanic sculpture, this large and thick gaiwan by Liu Shisan is weighty and monolithic, with a textured glazes suggesting roughly carved marble and oxidised iron. The clay has been carefully worked to keep the two from encroaching on one another, and the dark pedestalled foot and button with a shallow basin resemble nothing so much as an old stone and bronze fountain just waiting for water. The wide, sturdy construction