raku

American  

[rah-koo] / ˈrɑ ku /

noun

1. a thick-walled, rough, dark lead-glazed Japanese earthenware used in the tea ceremony.

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Etymology

Origin of raku

1870–75; < Japanese raku ( -yaki ) “pleasure” glaze, originated by Chōjirō of Kyoto, who was given the seal-stamp with the character “pleasure” from Hideyoshi as an artisan-household designation

Example Sentences

In her studio, Lee has placed her kilns and pottery wheel and tried alternative firing techniques such as raku and pit firing.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2024

Artisans on various continents have painted Pop Art checkerboards on traditional tea-bowl forms and used ancient raku firing techniques on jokily unusable perforated vases.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2011

But in due course, ceramics echoing more native tastes — for example studiedly irregular raku vessels — also became an integral part of the complex tea-drinking ritual.

From New York Times • Jan. 8, 2010

Like Rikyu before him, Koetsu worked with a family of potters whose name came to stand for a whole class of rough, low-fired pottery: raku ware.

From Time Magazine Archive

I see myself that first day, sitting cross- legged on a batik floor pillow, drinking green tea out of a fired raku cup, and looking up at Zora with my big, hopeful, curious, attentive eyes.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides