The Tea Ceremony

Several tea masters became potters in order to make pieces that exactly suited their tastes. Shou worked with Shigaraki ware and Rikyu with raku. But most celebrated is Furuta Oribe, who invented Oribe ware and became one of the great potters of the age.
Oribe followed Rikyu as HideyoshiÕs tea master but propagated a so-called Ôdaimyo teaÕ manner. He began to use the linked-kiln (which allows much higher temperatures), the technology for which had been imported in the late 1590s at Karatsu, by Kato Kagenobu. The location of his original kiln is in modern Toki City, where its vestiges are to be seen. Until his suicide 30 years later at the age of 72, Oribe worked energietically not only at this main kiln, but also at Shobu, Kamagane, and elsewhere. Oribe ware tends to be twisted in shape, unbalanced and irregular. It has an open and manly aesthetic which stands in contrast to RikyuÕs more aeteolated sense of beauty. OribeÕs pieces overflow with a sense of vigour. They are entirely novel.
Most Oribe ware uses a green glaze which is only partially applied. Non-glazed portions are decorated with a painted lead glaze. This can be called Ôgreen OribeÕ. Where the whole surface is painted, the term is Ôso-OribeÕ, and when the paint used is lacquer, which gives a special feel, the term is Ôblack-OribeÕ. There are also other types, such as Ônarumi-OribeÕ and Ôred-OribeÕ. Vessels are often teabowls, but can also be caddies, water containers, flower vases, bowls, dishes, plates, mukozuke, sake bottles, and all manner of eating and drink ware. There are also all manner of items for daily life: incense burners, incense containers, flasks, lamps, ink stones and water droppers.
Once of the special features of Oribe ware is its generous and new sense of design. Nanban decorations and geometric patterns are used, as well as the then-novel tsuji-ga-hana. There are even combinations of these. Oribe often borrowed from fabric designs (as in the case of tsuji-ga-hana), and indeed the name ÔoribeÕ indicates that the master was originally a fabric maker (Ôori-Ô is weaving), and it is possible he was at one time involved with import of foreign textiles. His bold patterning is entirely in keeping with the taste of the Momoyama period, and his delight in providing daily life with flamboyant vessels suited the periodÕs sense of luxury. For these same reasons, Oribe ware went out of fashion in early Edo.