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Japanese Tableware
Japanese tableware has a quiet gift for making an ordinary tea break feel a little more special: a handle-free yunomi cup that warms your hands, a porcelain mug with a delicate blue pattern, a hand-shaped matcha bowl. Browse our collection of Japanese cups, mugs and ceramic or porcelain bowls, most of them crafted in Japan — beautiful pieces to keep for yourself or to give as a gift.
61 products
Our Japanese cups, mugs and bowls
This collection is built around three distinct families, each with its own uses, aesthetic and place in tradition.
Japanese cups: yunomi and sometsuke porcelain
The traditional Japanese cup is called a yunomi: tall, handleless, held in both hands to keep the tea warm. Our Tetsuaka yunomi, Shino and Oribe are glazed ceramic pieces, crafted in the earthy tones of the Mino workshops, the heartland of minoyaki pottery. For something more refined, our sometsuke porcelain cups carry a classic blue-and-white design, like the Sometsuke Momiji cup or the striped Shin Tokusa cup. For gifting, the Tokyo Design set of 4 Japanese cups brings together four coordinating blue patterns.
Japanese mugs: Flora Japonica, Nippon Blue and kawaii
Japanese mugs keep the handle and generous capacity of a classic coffee mug, while drawing on Japanese culture for their look. The Flora Japonica collection, in porcelain, features ginkgo, crane and ivy motifs in deep blue, including the Flora Japonica Gingko mug. The Nippon Blue mugs play with traditional patterns: waves, stars and dots. And for fans of kawaii design, the Maneki Neko mug, featuring the iconic lucky cat, and the Hokusai Wave mug are among our best-sellers.
Japanese bowls: matcha bowls and bowl sets
The matcha bowl, or chawan, is wide and deep to allow the green tea powder to be whisked freely: the Kurokumo Matcha bowl and the Harukasumi Matcha bowl are both hand-thrown in Japan. For the table, our sets of four porcelain bowls, such as the Aisai Seigaiha set with its wave pattern, work beautifully for rice, soups or desserts. To find the right matcha bowl, take a look at our guide on matcha bowls.
How to choose Japanese tableware?
Stoneware or porcelain?
Stoneware ceramics, thick and glazed, retain heat and produce one-of-a-kind pieces whose tones shift subtly from one firing to the next: this is the material of yunomi cups and matcha bowls. Porcelain, finer and whiter, brings out the beauty of blue sometsuke designs and decorative mugs. Both are dishwasher-safe unless otherwise stated on the product page.
What capacity?
A yunomi or sometsuke cup holds a small pour of tea, ideal for tasting Japanese green teas brewed multiple times, such as sencha, genmaicha or hojicha. A mug suits a morning tea, an herbal infusion or a milky brew. A matcha bowl needs enough room for the whisk; a rice or soup bowl is smaller and typically comes as a set of four.
Made in Japan, genuinely
Most of our pieces come from Tokyo Design Studio, a house that produces its collections in Japanese workshops, or from master potters for matcha bowls and yunomi. The origin and material of each piece are detailed on its product page. You will also find our other cups, mugs and bowls, our teapots and our complete matcha kits. To store your matching tea, our Japanese washi tea caddies complete the table beautifully.
Caring for Your Japanese Tableware
Stoneware and porcelain can be washed by hand in warm water or on a gentle dishwasher cycle. Avoid abrasive sponges to protect any decorative finish. Unglazed stoneware cups may develop a patina from tea over time: this is entirely normal, and in Japan it is considered part of the piece's character. Avoid sudden temperature changes, such as pouring boiling water into a cold cup, and store stacked bowls with a cloth between each piece. A well-cared-for handcrafted piece can last a lifetime and be passed on, which is one of the quiet joys of Japanese tableware: an everyday object that accompanies the tea ritual for years to come.
Frequently asked questions about Japanese tableware
What is a yunomi cup?
A yunomi is the everyday Japanese tea cup: tall, cylindrical, handleless, made from stoneware or porcelain. Held with both hands, it is used for drinking green tea day to day, as opposed to the chawan, which is reserved for matcha.
What is the difference between a matcha bowl and a Japanese bowl?
The matcha bowl, or chawan, is wide and deep to allow the powder to be whisked properly. The Japanese table bowl, smaller in size, is used for rice, noodles or miso soup. We carry both.
Is Japanese tableware dishwasher safe?
Yes, for porcelain and most glazed stoneware, on a gentle cycle. Hand-painted artisan pieces are better washed by hand: this is noted on each product page.
What is sometsuke decoration?
Sometsuke refers to Japanese porcelain decorated in underglaze blue, a technique inherited from the kilns of Arita. The patterns are often botanical, geometric or inspired by waves.
What Japanese tableware makes a good gift?
A set of four cups or four bowls for a beautiful table, a kawaii mug for something lighter, or a matcha bowl with its whisk for a tea ceremony enthusiast. Our tea gift sets make a lovely complement to any present.
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