Hand wash with warm water and a soft cloth or sponge, using a mild washing-up liquid as necessary. Do not put in dishwasher, microwave or oven.
Teacup Shigaraki
Sekichuka Kumidashi
Hozan Tanii
SKU
3951
Yoshi En has recently grown out of Sunday Natural to become an independent premium tea store. As part of this transition, some products may still be shipped in Sunday Natural packaging.
Evoking cherry blossoms peeking out of the snow after a cold winter, this elegant Kumidashi teacup is coated in a thick white Sekichūka (雪中華 "bloom in the snow") glaze with a spot of red, handcrafted by the great Shigaraki-yaki innovator, Hozan Tanii. Perfect for all kinds of Japanese tea.
| Product | Teacup, white |
| Artist | Hozan Tanii |
| Origin | Shigaraki, Shiga, Japan |
| Volume | 200ml |
| Dimensions | Ø9.3cm x 6.4cm |
| Weight | 185g |
| Material | Ceramic |
| Glaze | Hagi (萩) style glaze with copper |
| Artist's mark | Seal to base |
Each piece is handmade and unique, therefore size and finish may vary slightly
In stock
Hozan Tanii 谷井芳山
Blending tradition with modernity, Hozan Tanii (b.1953) is considered one of the great innovators of Shigaraki-yaki. After majoring in pottery at the Osaka University of the Arts in 1975, he became the third generation kiln master of the Tanikan-gama (谷寛窯) workshop established in Shigaraki by his grandfather in the early Showa period (1926-89). Here Hozan makes full use of a variety of furnaces including gas, electric, wood-fired and Anagama (穴窯 "cave kiln") to make one-of-a-kind pieces of tea- and tableware. Eager to pursue creations that meet current needs, in recent years he has collaborated on recycling projects with leading consumer goods companies, mixing byproduct materials such as Suntory whisky barrel ash and UCC Coffee grounds into his own clay and glaze recipes.
Kumidashi 汲み出し
The Kumidashi is a short, light, handle-free teacup traditionally used to serve Sencha during Senchadō: the Japanese leaf tea ceremony (as opposed to Sadō for matcha powdered green tea). Kumidashi with mouths that spread outwards are particularly suitable for high-grade teas as the shape helps to amplify the aroma. Often sold in sets of five, Kumidashi are the choice of teacup when entertaining guests.
Shigaraki-Yaki 信楽焼
Pottery produced in and around Shigaraki is characteristically made of coarse, light-coloured clay that forms a particularly robust body. One of the Six Ancient Kilns or Rokkoyō (六古窯) of Japan, at the beginning of the 16th century the rustic aesthetics of Shigaraki-yaki was much admired within the tea ceremony, and today maintains a reputation for sturdy utilitarian objects.
