RAKU Kichizaemon XVI

Raku Kichizaemon XVI (is the sixteenth-generation head of Japan’s historic Raku ceramic lineage, a family of tea bowl makers continuously active since the Momoyama period under Sen no Rikyū’s influence. Born the eldest son of Raku Jikinyū XV, he pursued studies in sculpture, first at the Tokyo University of the Arts, graduating in 2008, and later in Great Britain starting in 2010, before committing fully to the family tradition. After years of dedicated apprenticeship and practice, he succeeded as Raku Kichizaemon XVI in 2019.

As the current head of the family, Kichizaemon XVI honors the Raku tradition of hand-molded tea bowls made for chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony), balancing reverence for centuries-old methods with a contemporary sensibility that speaks to modern life and aesthetics. He continues to advance understanding of Raku’s cultural significance both in Japan and internationally, upholding a 450-year legacy of craftsmanship rooted in simplicity, tactility, and spiritual presence.