Vintage item never used. This handcrafted Hagi-yaki (萩焼) tea cup from Shōgetsu Kiln (松月窯) beautifully embodies the refined rusticity and subtle warmth characteristic of traditional Hagi ware.
The cup features a soft white glaze with gentle gray pooling near the rim, creating a natural gradation reminiscent of morning mist over pale clay. The glaze exhibits fine kan-nyū (貫入) crackling, adding depth and texture that will continue to develop with use.
Its slightly undulating form and faint wheel-thrown ridges offer a tactile and organic feel, enhancing the experience of holding warm tea. The foot shows the classic Hagi-style trimmed base with a cut-out detail, and the kiln’s 萩松月 (Shōgetsu) mark is impressed near the base.
The 切足, literally “cut foot,” refers to the notch or incision in the base ring of the vessel, clearly visible in your photo of the cup’s underside. Instead of forming a continuous circular footring, the potter deliberately cuts out a small section from the edge of the base.
The cut introduces a sense of asymmetry and lightness, aligning with the wabi-sabi aesthetic — beauty found in imperfection, transience, and natural irregularity. It subtly lifts the form, giving the impression that the cup “breathes” or sits lightly upon the surface, rather than being a closed, heavy cylinder.
Size: 8 x 8 x 10cm
