Hagi Yagi ceramics...yunomis, kyusus, houhins, and couple sets. No 2 are alike, and with crackle glaze/crazing these teapots and cups are constantly changing with use.
Hagi ware is fired in and around Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Hagi was first made at the beginning of the seventeenth century by potters from Korea. Hagi potters use a raw clay mixture "Korean" clay, famous for its subtle pink-orange hue. The beauty of Hagi ware is appreciated not only for its earthy colors but also for the glaze. The translucent beige glaze is to draw out the natural, deep colors of the clay. After being heated in the kiln, the glaze creates its signature fine web of cracks and fine pores (crazing) while cooling. Throughout the heating and cooling process, the cracks form because the glaze shrinks faster than the clay. Over time, a Hagi ware user might notice the color of the glaze getting darker. This is natural as the slightly porous surface absorbs the tea residues or sake through its tiny crackles, maturing over time.