KOUSYUHAI Cup (Large), Cosmos

At a glance

- Arita-yaki (有田焼), Saga Prefecture; by Kihara (キハラ), Arita
- Bubble-like overglaze pigment creates a nebula-like surface evoking the cosmos; blast-finished matte
- Large (300ml); overglaze fired in a second kiln; fragrance-concentrating interior; hand wash only

The universe, reduced to the surface of a cup. Not a print, not a pattern: a surface made by applying pigment in a bubble-like technique that creates a speckled, nebula-like depth across the matte body.

The Kousyuhai (香酒盃) is Kihara's Arita-yaki cup designed around the ritual of slow, attentive drinking: an inwardly curved interior that concentrates fragrance upward as you raise the cup, a narrowed rim that holds the aroma rather than releasing it, and a form developed with Kyushu distillers for shochu and whisky. At 300ml it suits a rock pour of fine spirits, green tea, or coffee.

The cosmos surface on this cup is created with 泡状の絵の具 (bubble-like overglaze pigment), applied after the main firing and fixed in a second lower-temperature kiln. The blast finishing (ブラスト加工) gives the body a characteristically matte texture that absorbs light rather than reflecting it, deepening the cosmic, fantastical character. Each cup is individually hand-painted, so the distribution of the nebula-like surface differs from piece to piece.

Made in Arita, Saga Prefecture. Hand wash only to preserve the overglaze. Not dishwasher safe.