This tea set includes an expertly crafted Tokoname-yaki kyusu (teapot) and five Mino-yaki yunomi (teacups). The teapot is made from the iconic Tokoname shudei (朱泥) clay, known for its brilliant red colour and ability to subtly reduce the astringency of tea. The body is decorated with a detailed pine bark textured that contrasts with the smooth spout and handle. Made using a small wheel, this texturing technique is called matsugawa (松皮 - pine bark) in Japanese.
The teapot's built-in ceramic sasame filter is perfect for naturally straining tea, with a wide shape for faster pouring and less clogging.
This piece was made by the highly-respected Gyokko (玉光) Kiln, manned by the master potters of the Umehara family. As these are handmade pieces, there may be slight variations in the shape and colouration.
The porcelain Mino-yaki yunomi (tea cups) have an elegant simplicity and hold around 60ml of tea each, perfect for high-end sencha, gyokuro, or gong fu brewing. The pure white of porcelain lets you see the true colour of the tea.
Mino-yaki (美濃焼,) is a type of Japanese pottery produced in Mino Province in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Since the introduction of mass production in the Meiji period (1868–1912), Mino ware accounts for around 50% of Japanese pottery produced today.
