Designed to Hold, Built to Insulate
Thoughtfully shaped for an easy grip, this versatile cup features exceptional temperature retention. It keeps hot coffee warm and cold beer chilled for hours.
Capacity: 350ml + extra room for foam.
Size : W12.5 × D9 × H10 cm
*As each piece is individually handmade, there may be slight variations from the item shown in the images.
*Please also note that the appearance and colour of the product may vary depending on the lighting.
About : Tsutomu Buyo / Gorobee Kiln
Born in Bizen City, Okayama, in 1968, Tsutomu Buyo studied art at Tamagawa University before training and working at the Bizen Ceramic Center. He joined Gorobee Kiln in 1995, also beginning his own pottery practice.
In 2007, Buyo became the representative of Gorobee, carrying forward the kiln’s ceramic tradition. Specialising in flower vessels and plates, he was certified as a Traditional Craftsperson for Bizen ware in 2025.
He is also deeply involved in Japanese tea culture, serving as a committee member of the Okayama branch of the Urasenke Tankokai tea association.
STYLE & APPROACH
Guided by a founding principle of making things you can rely on in use, he works broadly across sake vessels, tea vessels, flower vessels and tableware.
SPECIALITY
Tea vessels, tableware
What is BIZEN WARE?
Bizen ware comes from Imbe in Bizen City, Okayama - one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns. Each piece is shaped by hand from local clay and fired with no glaze and no painted decoration, so the clay itself speaks. Fired with pine wood for 7-10 days at over 1,200 °C, it becomes a hard, dense stoneware - and no two pieces are ever alike.
The fired surface — yaki
Without glaze, every colour and pattern comes from how flame, ash and charcoal touch the piece in the kiln. Potters call these natural effects keshiki - “landscapes”.
- 窯変（Yōhen）: Buried in charcoal on the kiln floor, away from flame and air, the clay turns grey, dark grey or bluish.
- 胡麻（Goma）: Pine ash settles on the piece like sesame seeds; where it melts and runs, it is called tamadare.
- 棧切（Sangiri）: Where ash and charcoal cut off the air, grey to blue-black tones form against the redbrown clay.
- 緋襷（Hidasuki）: Straw wrapped around the piece reacts with iron in the clay, leaving scarlet lines.