The wabi aesthetic popularized by the tea master Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591) in the late 16th century encouraged the appreciation of understated and imperfect beauty. This aesthetic elevated the earthy and often distorted tea bowls, water jars, and flower vases made at domestic kilns over the previously favored sleek and flawless ceramics of Song China. Even as the dominant tastes of tea ceremony changed over time and more flamboyant pots came to be favored, the majority of Japanese stoneware from the Momoyama and early Edo periods continued to be characterized by unusual shapes, rich glaze colors and textures, and often highly individualistic and playful decorations.

Stoneware production in Japan was remarkable for its incredible geographical diversity, as well as the technological and stylistic exchanges that flourished between the various kilns. Many of these manufactured not only tea ceremony utensils but also more utilitarian storage and tableware.