Ceramic artist Yuichi Murakami spent countless firings in pursuit of his ideal “white.”
The white he sought was not merely a color, but a tone that would complement tea and draw out its gentle, lingering flavor.

With great anticipation, we are pleased to present “The Afterglow of White,” an exhibition celebrating Hōin — Murakami’s tea ware series debuting in Shirokanedai.

In addition to Hōin tea utensils and tableware, the lineup includes Rokusumi no Chaki, tea ware created specially for Kosuimu and Amahare.

On Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15, we will also host “The Hōin Gathering”, an event guided by Murakami himself, where guests can experience the subtle differences in taste between tea, sake, and water.

No reservations are required for either the exhibition or the event.
We warmly look forward to welcoming you.

Exhibition Period
November 14 (Fri) – November 24 (Mon), 2025
Closed on every Wednesday
Open from 13:00 to 18:00

Artist in Gallery
Yuichi Murakami will be present on Friday, November 14, and Saturday, November 15.

Venue
AMAHARE
@amahare_shirokanedai
5-5-2 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo
TEL: +81-3-3280-0766
E-mail: info@amahare.jp

Reservations
No reservation required. Please feel free to visit at your convenience.

Photo / Eri Masuda @massu_90
Text / Kenichi Kaneko（AMAHARE） @amahare_kaneko

When Water Changes Its Taste

When I heard someone say, 'The taste of water changes depending on the vessel — and it’s porcelain, too,' I wondered—can such a thing really be imagined?

It happened two years ago during an exhibition of Mr. Murakami’s works at Shirokanedai. A visitor mentioned that they wanted to compare the taste of water using Murakami’s tea cups. Apparently, there were some cups in which the taste of the water changed, and others in which it did not. They wanted to select their piece by discerning that difference.

All of us at Amahare watched half in disbelief, but as we saw the guest carefully tasting and picking out the 'approved cup,' we couldn’t help but exclaim, 'Oh! Can that really happen?'

That porcelain — said to absorb only 1% of water — could influence the flavor was astonishing. It seems the experience was equally striking for Mr. Murakami himself. From that day, he resolved to 'create tea vessels that truly complement tea.'

He decided to pause his previous tea utensil production and immersed himself in research, seeking glazes that would perfectly align with his vision.

Enjoying the Aftertaste

It has long been said that even with porcelain vessels, the way we perceive taste can change depending on their shape — much like how the flavor of wine shifts with different styles of glasses. What Mr. Murakami set out to explore, however, was how the glaze itself might influence the taste.

His goal was to create a vessel that allows one to enjoy the lingering aftertaste of tea. Why focus on the aftertaste? You’ll likely understand once you experience it firsthand at “The Fragrance of Echo”, a special tea event to be held on Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15. No reservation is required — please feel free to let us know when you visit.

The Change in Taste Is the Change in Ourselves

One day, about a year after that exhibition, I received a message from Murakami-san:
‘I’ve finally created a glaze I’m satisfied with. Please come by the studio and try it.’

I hurried to his atelier in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, where rows of porcelain tea wares—slightly creamier in color than I had imagined—were neatly arranged on a table.

‘Originally,’ Murakami-san explained, ‘Chinese tea was like a daily medicine. By drinking the same tea over time, you can notice subtle changes in your own condition through the change in its taste. The longer the aftertaste lingers, the more infusions you can enjoy—so I aimed to create a vessel that enhances that lingering sensation.’

This, then, is Hōin—Murakami-san’s new work making its debut in this exhibition at Shirokanedai.

Listening to his words, I compared the taste of the same tea using both Hōin and a conventional porcelain cup. In the latter, the first aroma and flavor struck vividly, leaving a strong impression of deliciousness—but also a slight heaviness that made it difficult to continue drinking for long.

With Hōin, by contrast, the initial impression was gentler, yet the flavor deepened quietly with each infusion, inviting one to drink again and again.

‘That a glaze alone could alter taste this profoundly!’ I thought in awe. It was then I realized—this was exactly the “aftertaste that stays with the tea” Murakami-san had sought to bring to life.

No Tea, No Life

Murakami-san kindly explained the difference between conventional porcelain and Hōin, accompanied by a handwritten note.

[Conventional Porcelain] — Best suited for teas such as Taiwanese oolong, black tea, or sencha—varieties rich in aroma that one wishes to savor from the very first sip.

[Hōin] — A vessel designed to let you enjoy the innate flavor of Chinese tea leaves, including their lingering aftertaste, over multiple infusions.

In other words, it’s not that conventional porcelain is unsuitable for tea; rather, Murakami-san suggested that one might choose between the two depending on the type of tea—or simply one’s mood at the moment.

After all, “tea” takes many forms, and so does the way we enjoy it.
Here, too, one can feel Murakami-san’s spirit of “No Tea, No Life.”

Afterglow in White

At this exhibition, we will be presenting a collection of white works centered around Hōin—the piece that Mr. Murakami poured his very soul into creating. Alongside it, you’ll find charming pieces such as the Asparagus Cutlery Rest, the serene Vessel of Lake Water, and the Hexagonal Tea Set crafted specially for Amahare.

We warmly invite you to join us for “The Gathering of Hōin”, held on Friday, November 14th and Saturday, November 15th. We are eagerly looking forward to seeing how everyone responds to these creations. Mr. Murakami and all of us at Amahare look forward to welcoming you.