Black Japanese Tableware

Black draws the outline of what you serve. Where a white plate returns the colour of food, a black plate returns its shape.

No two blacks behave alike. Black that catches light like metal. Matte black that swallows it. And black pulled out of the kiln itself, unglazed, from contact with charcoal. Gloss or no gloss changes how the same dish reads.

Firing unglazed at high heat for a long time is yakishime, and letting the piece meet charcoal in the kiln turns it black. Ridges cut into the surface, shinogi, throw their sharpest shadows on black. The way gloss and colour deepen with use is keinen bika.