Tea Cup - Hagi Ware - Kumidashi
A Hagi ware kumidashi tea cup by Tenryu Kiln (天龍窯), made in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
The kumidashi (汲出し) is the classical hospitality cup of the Japanese tea tradition - wider and shallower than the standard yunomi, its open form allows tea to cool slightly as it is carried to a guest. Where the yunomi is for one's own daily drinking, the kumidashi is made with the guest in mind.
The glaze is a soft, milky white with lavender and blush undertones - the characteristic warmth of Hagi's natural feldspar glaze over the local iron-rich clay. The surface carries the fine kannyu crazing for which Hagi ware is celebrated, and will deepen gradually in character as tea seeps into the fine cracks over time - the process known as nanabake, the seven transformations. The glaze thins toward the foot, where the clay's natural warmth shows through, and the foot carries the kiri-koudai (切り高台) - the deliberate triangular notch that has been a defining mark of Hagi ware for four centuries.
- Made by: Tenryu Kiln (天龍窯), Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
- Style: Kumidashi (汲出し) - wide, shallow hospitality cup
- Glaze: Natural feldspar glaze, milky white with lavender and blush tones
- Dimensions: approx. 90mm wide × 65mm tall
- Suitable for: sencha, gyokuro, houjicha, any loose leaf tea
Please note: As hand-made Hagi ware, each cup carries its own subtle character — glaze depth, surface variation and colour will differ slightly from piece to piece.
-------------------------------------
Tenryu Kiln (天龍窯) is a Hagi ware kiln based in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, working within the four-century tradition of Hagi ceramic production. The kiln produces both traditional and contemporary work, inheriting classical techniques while developing forms suited to modern daily life. Tenryu's pieces are made by a team of kiln potters and artists, and the kiln also operates a ceramic experience studio adjacent to its gallery.
----------------------------------
Hagi ware (萩焼, Hagi-yaki) is a traditional form of Japanese pottery originating from Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, during the early 17th century. It was developed by Korean potters brought to Japan by the Mori clan after the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598).
Hagi ware is made primarily from local Hagi clay, which is rich in iron and gives the pottery its characteristic soft and porous texture. Warabai (straw ash) glaze or a combination of feldspar and ash are used to create a translucent, crackled effect. It is fired at relatively low temperatures, allowing the clay's natural warmth and subtle colours to emerge. The famous "seven transformations" (nanabake) refer to how the glaze changes in texture and colour with prolonged use, as tea seeps into the cracks over time. Because of its slightly porous nature, some people choose to dedicate their Hagi ware to one type of tea, to avoid other aromas seeping into the clay.
In terms of style, Hagi ware is typically earthy, understated, and rustic, embodying wabi-sabi aesthetics - a beauty found in imperfection and transience. Tea bowls and tea cups are the most renowned form, highly prized in Japanese tea ceremony. Hagi ware remains a revered form of Japanese ceramics, valued for both its historical significance and its evolving beauty over time.