Arita, Kiyomizu, Kutani, and Hagi pottery and porcelain sake cup sets from Amazon.com

 

 

 

A ceramic is a most popular drinking ware when the people drink sake in Japan. Though there are choko or guinomi cups of tin or glass, they are just for the cold sake and not for hot. On that point, we can enjoy both cold and hot the Japanese rice wine with the pottery or porcelain sake cups. Furthermore, there are all sorts of ceramic sake cups, it is fun to choose. When you have sets of the cups, the drinking with the family or friends would be more enjoyable! I would like to show you the sake cups of four famous Japanese ceramic, Arita (Imari) ware, Kiyomizu ware, Kutani ware, and Hagi hagi ware.

 

 

 

Arita (Imari) ware sake cup sets

Arita (Imari) ware is the traditional porcelain made in Arita region, Saga Prefecture. The history of the Arita-yaki started by the Korean potter Yi Sam-pyeong in the early 17th century. It is also the first production of the porcelain in Japan.

 

 

370cc Arita shochu sake cups

These sake cups are larger than the other because they are for drinking shochu (traditional Japanese distilled spirit). The hand-painted bicolor is so wonderful!

 

 

 

50cc Arita choko sake cups

 

It looks like a metal, but of course not. The craftsman’s careful work makes it. I hope that you take plenty of time to drink sake with the cups.

 

 

 

 

Arita guinomi sakecups

 

Arita guinomi sake cups

 

Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms are really typical Japanese things. The lower cups are able to contain less sake water, but you can more enjoy the scent.

 

 

 

View more! Arita sake cups and bottles

 

 

 

Kiyomizu (Kyo) ware sake cup sets

The origin of the Kiyomizu-yaki pottery dates back more than 1200 years in Kyoto! The soft colors and warm appearance are the features of the traditional ceramic. 

 

 

 

Kiyomizu guinomi sake cups, gold and silver

It is a sober color ceramic for Kiyomizu ware but gold and silver are impressive only that. Just like the moon at night.

 

 

 

 

Kiyomizu guinomi sake cups, gold and silver

 

The cups emphasize the brightness of the whole in contrast. Two cranes face each other.

 

 

 

 

Kiyomizu guinomi sake cups, blue and red

The unique pattern is “Raimon” which means thunder pattern. That was introduced from China for a long long years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

Kiyomizu guinomi sake cups, red and blue

 

As you see, they have the patterns not only on the outside but also the inside. Whenever you drink sake, the landscape is in the water.

 

 

 

 

 

Kiyomizu guinomi sake cups, pink and purple

The patterns are the mandarin ducks and flowers. A mandarin duck is the symbol of loving couple in Japan.

 

 

 

 

Kiyomizu choko sake cups, brown, blue, yellow, white, and green

 

 

 

The beautiful five sake cups with deformation during firing. The technique of a craftsman and climate create them.

 

 

 

 

 

Kiyomizu 12 guinomi sake cups and a bowl

 

The luxurly sets of sake cups and bowl. The paintings dipct “Rakuchu-rakugai-zu” the scenes of ancient Kyoto.

 

 

 

 

Kutani ware sake cup sets

The history of Kutani-yaki began in 1655. The first Daishoji Domain lord Maeda Toshiharu made Goto Saijiro learn the technique of Arita (Imari) ware and start the ceramic industry in his domain. The name of the village where the porcelain stone was produced was Kutani. So, they called the porcelain as “Kutani-yaki”.

 

 

 

Kutani guinomi sake cups, autumn and spring

 

A long-tailed tit is one of the smallest birds in Japan. The restlessly motion is really lovely!

 

 

 

 

 

Kutani guinomi sake cups, historical picutures

 

These cups express the styles of Kutani ware in its history, including Kokutani-Style, Yoshida-ya Style, and Miyamoto-ya Style.

 

 

 

 

 

Kutani guinomi sake cups, blue and black

 

The cups with a modern painting have the shape of the Western cups. The smooth surfaces are really beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kutani guinomi sake cups, dragon and tiger

 

The relation between dragon and tiger represents that two powerful heroes who are evenly matched in ability in Asia. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kutani guinomi sake cups, pine, bamboo, plum trees

 

 

Pine, bamboo and plum trees are the symbol of a happy event. The cups are the best for celebrating.

 

 

 

 

Kutani guinomi sake cups, the Seven Deities of Good Fortune

 

Ebisu, Daikokuten, Benzaiten, Bishamonten, Fukurokujujin, Jurojin, and Hotei. 

 

 

 

View more! Kutani ware sake cups and bottles

 

 

 

 

Hagi ware sake cup sets

The feudal lord of Hagi Domain (today’s Yamatuchi Prefecture) Mōri Terumoto treated the potteries Lee Shakuko and Lee Kei (brother) with hospitality and made them create a pottery of Hagi in the late 16the century. It was the origin of Hagi-yaki.

 

 

Hagi shochu sake cups, by Yamato Kiyoshi

 

 

Hagi shochu sake cups, bu Yamato Kiyoshi

 

 

Hagi shochu sake cups, by Yamato Kiyoshi

 

 

 

 

Hagi shochu sake cups, by Yamato Kiyoshi

 

 

Yamato Kiyoshi (1953-) is the traditional craftsman of Hagi ware, and his father and son are also Hagi ware artisan. The craftsman of Meizen Kiln won the prizes and held the exhibitions.