A distinctive vintage Japanese yunomi tea cup (湯呑) coming from Kyoto, it associated with 高陽院, featuring bold cobalt-blue calligraphy against a clean white porcelain ground.
高陽院 (Kaya-no-in) has an important connection with the history of Heian-period Kyoto. The name originally referred to a grand aristocratic residence traditionally associated with Prince Kaya (賀陽親王), a son of Emperor Kanmu. The estate later passed into the hands of the Fujiwara family and was used on several occasions as a satodairi (里内裏), or temporary imperial residence.
The cup has a softly faceted cylindrical form, giving the otherwise simple silhouette a subtle handcrafted character. Large, freely brushed sometsuke-style blue characters wrap around the exterior, their expressive strokes creating a striking contrast with the smooth white glaze.
The decoration reflects the long Japanese tradition of combining ceramics and calligraphy, where written characters are appreciated not only for their meaning but also for the rhythm, movement and individuality of the brushwork. Rather than delicate pictorial ornament, the calligraphy itself becomes the central visual element of the vessel.
As a yunomi (湯呑), the cup was designed for everyday Japanese tea and is well suited to sencha, bancha, hōjicha or genmaicha. Its generous shape also makes it suitable for other hot drinks.
