Mizuno Hiroyuki
| Item | Dobin teapot |
|---|---|
| Artist | Mizuno Hiroyuki |
| Origin | Tokoname, Aichi, Japan |
| Colour | Grey-brown |
| Volume | 400ml |
| Dimensions | Ø10.2 x H8cm, with handle H16cm |
| Materials | Unglazed clay, brass |
| Strainer | Ceramic ball filter |
| Artist's mark | Seal above base |
| Packaging | Cardboard box |
Each item is handmade and unique, therefore colour and size may vary slightly.
Born in Tokoname in 1979, Mizuno Hiroyuki is a sixth-generation potter and the son of renowned Kyusu artist, Mizuno Hiroshi (a student of Jōzan Yamada III). Though a great lover of tea, for two decades after university, he worked as a salaryman. Driven by a sense of sadness that teapots were being phased out by bottled tea, in his late thirties he started to develop his skills as a potter, before leaving his corporate career in 2021 and enrolling in a ceramics course at the Nagoya Advanced Technical School in 2022. After graduating in 2023, he started making teapots under the guidance of his father, while also founding his own Japanese tea cafe, CHADEN, where visitors can experience the charm of tea brewed in a teapot. Mizuno's deep appreciation for teapots and his father's pottery techniques can clearly be witnessed in his work.
Literally "clay jug", the Dobin is a large teapot with a top handle, often made from bamboo, rattan, wood or metal. Historically used as kettles to boil water or infuse medicinal herbs, these days they are primarily used to brew larger quantities of tea – particularly Genmaicha, Hojicha and Bancha – making them ideal for serving several guests.
Pottery has been produced in the city of Tokoname, Aichi prefecture, as far back as the 12th century, and since 1976 has been protected as a Traditional Craft of Japan. Tokoname was the site of the largest and oldest of the legendary Rokkoyō (六古窯): the “Six Ancient Kilns” of Japan, and is celebrated for its iron-rich Shudei (朱泥) "red clay" that turns a bright red after firing. When fired a second time in a reduction oven, the red Shudei turns black – another characteristic colour of Tokoname-yaki. High-fired at temperatures of around 1100°C and left unglazed (Yakishime, 焼き締め), this allows tannins in the tea to interact with the iron in the clay body, which is said to reduce astringency and highlight the sweetness of green teas.
