【303select】Arita Ware Japan Sometsuke & Brocade Peony Rimmed Inverted Teacups

This Sometsuke Peony patterned teacup from Keizan Kiln boasts an elegant shape with a gracefully curved rim, making it a joy to use. The pure white porcelain beautifully complements the clear tea, offering a sense of tranquility and allowing you to savor your tea time with understated elegance. It pairs wonderfully with the matching Sometsuke Peony teapot. The meticulously hand-painted Sometsuke peony pattern, combined with the bright porcelain, embodies magnificent Japanese aesthetics. It quietly blooms across the exquisite cup body, showcasing the unique warmth of handcrafted artistry in every stroke, fully expressing the pristine whiteness and delicate, lightweight feel characteristic of Arita Ware. When paired with simple elements, it allows for a more free and relaxed enjoyment in daily use, making it a vessel perfectly suited to accompany your everyday life. Against the backdrop of clean, elegant white porcelain, it particularly enhances the warmth of everyday moments. Arita Ware porcelain features rounded edges and a refined texture, which significantly elevates food presentation. Even the simplest dishes can effortlessly achieve a sophisticated look, allowing you to experience a delightful culinary ritual at home and bring the most beautiful tableware to the most comforting lifestyle aesthetic. What is "Sometsuke"? "Sometsuke" is an underglaze decorating technique that uses "blue" pigment for drawing. "Suke" refers to "patterns," thus meaning "to draw patterns with blue pigment." While commonly seen in Chinese blue and white porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties, in Japan, it is featured on the exceptionally white and lightweight Arita Ware. The resulting blue hue is remarkably clean, reminiscent of indigo-dyed fabric, which gave rise to the name "Sometsuke." Following 1640, an evolution and refinement led to "Akae" (red painting), predominantly using vermilion as the base color. This introduced greater variety and splendor to Arita Ware's designs, enhancing its artistic expression. This ceramic technique involves glazing the bisque (a semi-finished piece) and then firing it at high temperatures once. Controlling the color variations is extremely challenging, requiring immense skill and experience. While this limits the choice of applicable pigments, the finished patterns are covered with a transparent glaze layer, giving the porcelain surface a smooth and exceptionally lustrous texture. Combined with Arita Ware's signature whiteness and lightness, the entire vessel appears exceptionally translucent, durable, and highly suitable for everyday use. Washing Instructions | 303 recommends hand washing as the optimal cleaning method. About Arita Ware Arita Ware originates from Saga Prefecture, the very birthplace of Japanese ceramics. By the 1650s, it had gained popularity in Europe, opening up international horizons for Japanese pottery. Its most distinctive characteristic is its pure white and lightweight texture, with a hardness and refinement akin to glass, presenting an astonishing ceramic performance. Coupled with its ornate Japanese decorative designs, it was greatly admired by European aristocrats at the time. For over 400 years, the tradition and innovation of Arita Ware have shaped a unique Japanese aesthetic consciousness. Since 2016, new endeavors like the SAGAMA project have begun to showcase the beauty of combining modern and traditional techniques. Brand Story | About Keizan Kiln (溪山窯) Founded in 1957 by the first-generation owner, Mr. Ryuichi Shinohara, and inheriting 400 years of craftsmanship, the kiln is named after the beautiful Sarugawa Valley nearby. Keizan Kiln initially focused on creating vessels exclusively for the Imperial family and high-end Japanese restaurants. However, as times changed, it gradually transitioned to producing ceramics suitable for everyday home use. Every piece from Keizan Kiln is hand-painted by artisans, who, with their exquisite skills and color control, imbue each item with a unique warmth of handcrafting. They deliver elegant details and practicality, dedicated to conveying that using Keizan Kiln's vessels can bring more comfort and joy to the user's daily life. Imported from Japan × Made in Saga Prefecture × Produced by Keizan Kiln Kiln | Keizan Kiln Material | Arita Ware Porcelain (Amakusa Tōseki Stone from Kumamoto Prefecture) Color | White Porcelain, Sometsuke / Size | Approx. ⌀6.9 × H 8.8 cm Color | White Porcelain, Brocade / Size | Approx. ⌀7.4 × H 9.6 cm