Yohen Tenmoku - Kimono Aloha shirts in Kyoto Japan

Yohen Tenmoku x Pagong Kyoto

The National Treasure Yohen Tenmoku

Yohen originally means kiln mutation. It is a term referring to black glazed tea bowls known as tenmoku type with its inside surface covered with many round spots surrounded by highlights ranging from blue to bluish purple. They have been preserved as the most precious pieces among the black glazed tea bowls produced at Jian kiln in Fujian province.

In Japan, since the Muromachi Period (1338-1573), the Yohen Tenmoku bowls have been regarded as the highest grade of Tenmoku ware, whose predecessors are said to be tea bowls brought to Japan by a Zen monk who received training at Tianmu (Tenmoku in Japanese) Mountain in China's coastal Zhejiang province. There is a theory that the name “yohen” came from how the glistening patterns transform with light.

There are only three intact tea bowls of this kind that are known to exist in the world. Owned by Ryoko-in, a sub-temple of Daitokuji in Kyoto, Fujita Museum of Art in Osaka, and Seikado Bunko Art Museum in Tokyo, they are all designated by the Japanese government as National Treasures.

This was our first attempt at Yuzen dyeing a tea bowl rather than a painting. Since it's not flat, but curved, we had a lot of trouble figuring out how to express the pattern. In making the Yohen Tenmoku, we stretched it out onto a flat surface and captured it like a leopard pattern. Repeated patterns such as a leopard print are easy to use no matter where you cut the fabric, therefore the final result was not only to express the pattern as it is, but also we wanted to create a piece that would be easy to wear as a fashion item in everyday life.

Of course, Seikado also has a deep attachment to the Yohen Tenmoku tea bowl, so we listened to their requests and proceeded with production while respecting their view of this National Treasure. In order to create something that would work for both of us, we drew several rough sketches and sent them to Seikado, and we exchanged opinions many times. In the end, we created a design with evenly spread markings that can be applied to Aloha shirts and scarves, as well as express the depth of this National Treasure.

We believe that this Yohen Tenmoku Tea Bowl Project was a new exciting challenge for Kamedatomi Dyeing Factory, which has been involved in Yuzen dyeing of kimono patterns for over 100 years.