Tea cups
Tea Cups
The tea cup is where the entire process of brewing Japanese tea arrives — and the quality of that arrival depends as much on the vessel as it does on the tea inside it. In Japanese tea culture this is accepted without question: a skilled master-potter's yunomi cup, held in both hands while drinking freshly brewed sencha, provides a sensory experience — visual, tactile, thermal — that is part of why the tea tastes the way it does. The cup is not a neutral container. Its form, weight, surface and the way it holds heat are all experienced simultaneously with the flavour of the tea.
Yunomi are the standard everyday Japanese tea cups — tall and cylindrical, without handles, typically around 200 ml. They are made in virtually every ceramic tradition in Japan, from the rustic, heavily textured stoneware of regional kilns to the clean, smooth porcelain of Arita and Hasami. The handle-free form means the warmth of the tea transfers directly to the hands, which is considered an integral part of the pleasure of drinking tea in Japan — particularly in winter.
Chawan matcha bowls are wider and shallower, designed for the whipping action of the chasen bamboo whisk and the particular experience of drinking thick, frothy matcha. The wide bowl allows the froth to develop fully across the surface, and the clay — often chosen for its ability to retain heat — keeps the matcha warm through the brief time it takes to drink. Chawan from established kilns in Mino, Hagi and Bizen each bring different aesthetic qualities and are collected seriously by tea ceremony practitioners.
Small guinomi cups for sake, and the larger mug-style cups for casual everyday use, complete the range here — all chosen for quality of material and making.
Discover more in our subcategories:
Discover Japanese green tea to enjoy in your new cups, or explore Hasami porcelain for matching tableware.
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