Collection: Kobiwako Clay Tea Pot 古琵琶湖急须

The ancient soil of Lake Biwa was collected in the Shigaraki and Iga areas. It may surprise those hearing about it for the first time, but around 4 to 6 million years ago, Lake Biwa was located near the present-day city of Iga. It is said that due to tectonic changes, Lake Biwa moved to its current position approximately 400,000 to 1 million years ago. This is a common occurrence in other regions as well, where many places that yield high-quality soil, improving the taste of water, were once located at the bottom of ancient lakes. For example, the areas around Tokoname, Seto, Yokkaichi, and Mino were once the bottom of a huge lake called Tokai （东海）.

1. Abundant iron content

Geographically, the Iga, Shigaraki, and Tsukigase areas contain a significant amount of iron. These iron particles disperse in the water and are naturally separated by density, forming layers with high iron concentrations. The high iron content contributes to the richness of tea. Tea brewed in tea ware made from ancient Lake Biwa soil exhibits a deep richness and leaves a lingering aroma on the palate.

2. Small mineral particles

The smaller the particles that make up the minerals, the larger the overall surface area. Based on the fact that they settled at the bottom of Lake Biwa several hundred years ago, ancient Lake Biwa soil is composed of extremely fine particles due to natural weathering and the density separation effect of water. Therefore, the iron content contained in tea ware made from ancient Lake Biwa soil has exceptionally small particle size, giving it a dramatically strong richness compared to other tea ware.

Original soil exploration through collaboration with Junzo Maekawa

At HOJO, we conduct soil exploration according to our unique criteria and methods. Furthermore, we collaborate with artists who understand our mindset and purpose well, examining conditions such as firing methods and refining techniques to custom-made our tea ware. For the creation of tea ware using ancient Lake Biwa soil, we entrusted the production to Junzo Maekawa, a ceramic artist from Tokoname.

Mr. Junzo Maekawa has an unconventional background with a degree in engineering from a university. In addition to his artistic perspective, he excels in logical thinking as an engineer, and he made various innovations to make the tea ware user-friendly and to bring out higher performance.