Kutani Ware Porcelain Mug, 330ml

At a glance

• Glossy Kutani colour sits slightly raised from the porcelain, so the pattern can be felt as well as seen
• Ishidatami carries a wish for continuing prosperity; Umekiku combines plum’s resilience with chrysanthemum’s association with longevity
• Full 330ml capacity for everyday tea or coffee, microwave and dishwasher safe

The pattern is not only something you see. Run your fingers across the mug and you can feel it too.

Seikou Kiln develops and mixes its own wa enogu pigments, creating glass-like colour with transparency, depth and a slightly raised surface. The transfer sheets are produced in-house and fitted to each vessel by hand before firing. Even the original outlines begin as brush drawings, with variations in brush pressure deliberately retained when the design is prepared for transfer.

That technique gives two traditional patterns their own character.

Ishidatami is an old checker pattern inspired by stone paving. Because the design continues without an end, it has traditionally been associated with continuing prosperity and development.

Umekiku combines plum and chrysanthemum. Plum is admired for flowering while winter is still harsh, giving it associations with perseverance, while chrysanthemum has a longstanding connection with longevity.

The familiar mug form makes these easy to bring into everyday use, but the surface gives you something different from an ordinary printed cup: glossy colour with a texture you can actually feel, and a pattern with meaning behind it.

Both designs also continue into matching iromizu tableware, so a favourite pattern can gradually become part of a wider setting.
- Umekiku set: plate, mug, lucky cup and rice bowl
- Ishidatami set: plate, mug and rice bowl