Vintage item, never used. A set of Hagi-yaki 萩焼 yunomi tea cups (湯呑), featuring a gentle kiku-bori 菊彫り / chrysanthemum-inspired design and the distinctive kiriasi / kiria-shi 切足 foot associated with traditional Hagi pottery.
Around the body, loose grey brushwork evokes chrysanthemum flowers and foliage, giving the cups a quiet seasonal elegance. The decoration is intentionally restrained, allowing the natural tones and texture of the pottery to remain the main focus.
At the base, each cup features a distinctive 切足 (kiriashi / cut foot), where part of the foot ring has been deliberately cut away. This asymmetrical treatment is a characteristic decorative detail found in Hagi ware and contributes to the handmade, slightly irregular quality of the vessels.
Hagi-yaki (萩焼) originates from Hagi in Yamaguchi Prefecture and has been deeply associated with Japanese tea culture for centuries. Its soft glazes, porous clay and subtle irregularities embody the spirit of wabi-sabi (侘寂)—an appreciation of simplicity, imperfection and the beauty that develops through time and use.
Hagi pottery is also famous for Hagi no nanabake (萩の七化け), the “seven transformations of Hagi,” referring to the gradual way tea can penetrate the fine crazing and porous body, subtly changing the color and character of the vessel over many years.
A serene and highly characteristic set for enjoying sencha, bancha or hōjicha, and a lovely example of traditional Japanese tea ware.
Size: 10.5 x 10.5 x 5cm (Each)
