AKA SHINO 赤志野 (Aka means “Red”) – Tea Cup
This Aka-Shino tea cup features mysterious and captivating free-flowing red patterns, reflecting the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi — simplicity, imperfection, and natural beauty.
Aka-Shino is one of the classic genres within the Shino ware family, distinguished by its warm red tones created through iron decoration and kiln firing.
It comes housed in a handmade paulownia wood box (kiribako) by Japanese kiribako master, adorned with handwritten Japanese calligraphy and traditional stamps.
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Aka-Shino is created by applying an iron slip known as onita (literally “devil’s board”) to the clay body. Decorative patterns are then carved away before the surface is coated with Shino glaze, a feldspar-based glaze characteristic of the Shino tradition.
Although produced using the same techniques as Nezumi-Shino, the final color shifts to warm reddish-brown tones depending on kiln conditions.
Because the appearance is deeply influenced by kiln atmosphere, flame movement, and the way the glaze melts during firing, each piece develops its own unique texture and expression.
When fired under strong reduction, the clay body turns a vivid red — the defining and most celebrated feature of Aka-Shino.
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More About Shino Ware (志野焼)
Shino ware is among the most important and influential traditions in Japanese ceramics, originating in the late sixteenth century in the Mino region of central Japan. Recognized as Japan’s earliest white-glazed stoneware, it holds a central place in the development of tea ceramics and the aesthetics of the Momoyama period.
Scholars believe the term Shino derives from a Chinese name or lineage. The style itself emerged from experimental attempts by Mino potters to reproduce highly prized Chinese white porcelains. Rather than achieving true porcelain, these efforts gave birth to a distinctly Japanese form of stoneware — softly opaque, richly textured, and expressive of natural irregularity.
Shino ware is characterized by thick feldspathic glazes, subtle crackle patterns, and fire markings that record the movement of flame and ash within the kiln. Iron-oxide decorations, often depicting grasses, flowers, or abstract motifs, appear gently beneath the glaze, lending each vessel a quiet lyricism.
Highly responsive to firing conditions, every Shino piece is inherently unique. Its warm tonality, tactile presence, and understated surface embody the spirit of wabi-sabi and the contemplative world of the tea ceremony.
Shino is not just one style; it’s a family. Traditionally, collectors and scholars usually recognize 4–5 main types, with a few sub-variations.
The Shino tradition encompasses several recognized types, including Shiro-Shino (White Shino), Nezumi-Shino (Gray Shino), Aka-Shino (Red Shino), and E-Shino (Painted Shino). Each reflects variations in iron decoration, glaze thickness, and firing atmosphere, resulting in distinct expressions within the same ceramic lineage.
1. Shiro-Shino 白志野 (White Shino)
• The earliest and most fundamental form of Shino
• Thick, milky white feldspar glaze
• Soft surface, pinholes, subtle scorch marks (hi-iro)
• Quiet, tea-ceremony oriented
👉 The spiritual core of Shino ware
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2. Nezumi-Shino 鼠志野 (Gray Shino)
• Decorated with iron slip (onita) beneath Shino glaze
• Designs are carved (sgraffito) before glazing
• Fired to smoky gray or charcoal tones
• Strong contrast between glaze and carved patterns
👉 More graphic and expressive
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3. Aka-Shino 赤志野 (Red Shino)
• Uses the same technique as Nezumi-Shino
• Fired under stronger reduction
• Iron-rich areas emerge as warm red or reddish-brown
• Highly dependent on kiln conditions
👉 Rare, dramatic, and highly prized
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4. Kuro-Shino 黒志野 (Black Shino) (less common)
• Darkened surface due to heavy reduction or iron influence
• Can appear deep brown to near black
• Rustic, powerful presence
👉 Uncommon and often debated among scholars
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5. E-Shino 絵志野 (Painted Shino) (sometimes grouped with Shiro-Shino)
• Iron-oxide brush decoration (plants, grasses, abstract motifs)
• Designs appear softly beneath white glaze
• Often overlaps stylistically with White Shino
👉 Poetic and lyrical
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Care
Hand wash only.
Special Touch
Packaged in a paulownia wood box with handwritten calligraphy, and includes a story card explaining the Shino tradition.
Size
Approx. 290 ml
12 cm × 8 cm
Shipping
Ships from Québec, Canada.
Gift Wrapping
Free Japanese-style gift wrapping available upon request.
