A complete three-piece tea set from the Kyushu porcelain corridor — one side-handle kyusu teapot and two sencha cups in lustrous white porcelain (白磁), hand-painted with the classic 宝尽くし (Takarazukushi, "Treasures Assembled") motif: bound scrolls of wisdom, the gourd of long life, the sacred jewel that grants wishes, and a scatter of smaller good-luck symbols across each piece. Presented in a paulownia-style kiribako wooden gift box with hand-brushed calligraphic lid label.
Set contents
- 1 × Kyusu (急須) — side-handle teapot, ~280–320 mL
- 2 × Sencha cups (煎茶碗) — hot-tea cups, ~120–150 mL each
- 1 × Kiribako wooden gift box with calligraphic lid
- 1 × Printed Arita-yaki heritage card
Quick facts
| Maker |
Arita ware (有田焼) + Hasami ware (波佐見焼) workshops — Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures, Japan |
| Pattern |
Takarazukushi (宝尽くし — "Treasures Assembled") |
| Material |
White porcelain (白磁 / Hakuji) |
| Decoration |
染錦 (dye-brocade) · 染付 (underglaze blue) · 金銀彩 (gold-silver overglaze) · 一珍 (relief slip-trail) · 上絵 (overglaze enamel) |
| Kyusu |
~12 × 9 × 9 cm (~4.7" × 3.5" × 3.5"); ~280–320 mL (~9.5–10.8 fl oz) |
| Each cup |
~7.5 × 6 cm (~3.0" × 2.4"); ~120–150 mL (~4–5 fl oz) |
| Total weight |
~700–900 g (~1.5–2.0 lb) with box |
| Origin |
Made in Japan |
|
What "Takarazukushi" means
宝尽くし (Takarazukushi) — literally "all-the-treasures" — is a classic Japanese auspicious pattern repertoire dating to the Muromachi/Edo periods, derived from the Buddhist shippō (seven treasures) and Chinese baobao (eight treasures), expanded with native Japanese symbols. Common members include the lucky mallet, sacred jewel, invisibility cloak, scroll of wisdom, cloves, treasure key, weights, money bag, war fan, gourd, and the seven-treasures linked-circle pattern. On this set the visible motifs are stylised — recognisable members include the bound scrolls, the gourd, and the sacred jewel; the rest read as the broader takarazukushi family.
What's hand-painted on this set
- Bound scroll motif (巻物) — cobalt blue with red bindings + gold trim — wisdom
- Hyōtan gourd (瓢箪) — green/yellow stylised double-gourd with orange cord — long life
- Sacred-jewel teardrop (宝珠) — green/teal outline with gold rim — wish-granting
- Yellow checker paddle (kakuregasa / hagoita family) — protection / warding
- Folded purple/yellow ribbon (kobukuro / treasure bag) — wealth
- Red striped target-ball finial on the kyusu lid
- Red dice / saikoro-like small squares scattered across pieces
- White porcelain body with subtle celadon-cream cast
- Hand-applied red iron-oxide rim band on each cup
- Twin red foot bands at each cup's base
- Yellow square 篆書 (tensho-style) workshop seal on each cup's foot
About Arita & Hasami ware
Arita ware (有田焼) is Japan's foundational porcelain tradition — Saga Prefecture, founded in the early 1600s after kaolin clay was discovered in Izumi-yama. Hasami ware (波佐見焼) is its immediate neighbour across the prefectural border in Nagasaki, traditionally producing more affordable everyday porcelain bodies but using the same kaolin and the same firing methods. Modern Saga/Nagasaki workshops often source porcelain bodies from Hasami kilns and apply Arita-tradition overglaze decoration — the supplier records this set under both ware lines, reflecting the cross-prefecture craft network of the Kyushu porcelain corridor.
Use cases
- Single-round pairing for two people — the kyusu pours ~2 of the matched cups in one go
- Best for green tea (sencha, gyokuro); also usable for Japanese black tea, hojicha, genmaicha
- Lever-grip side handle keeps the pourer's hand cool — single-hand controlled pour
- Daily-use scale, presentation-quality finish; gift-ready out of the shipping carton
FAQ
Is this microwave / dishwasher safe? The maker does not state this. Treat as hand-wash hand-painted ware. The gold and silver overglaze is heat- and abrasion-sensitive.
Why two ware-line names (Arita + Hasami)? Modern Saga/Nagasaki workshops often source porcelain bodies from Hasami kilns and apply Arita-tradition overglaze decoration. The supplier records this set under both lines.
What does Takarazukushi mean? 宝尽くし — "all-the-treasures" — a Japanese auspicious pattern that scatters symbols of wisdom, longevity, protection, wealth, and authority across the surface.
Is the wooden box gift-ready? Yes — kiribako (paulownia-style) box with hand-brushed calligraphic lid label. Comes packed in protective shipping cartons but the kiribako itself is presentation-ready.
What's the exact capacity? ~280–320 mL kyusu, ~120–150 mL per cup are the form-class estimates.
About ZenKiln
ZenKiln is a Japan-based curator connecting international collectors with Japan's artisan ceramic tradition. We work closely with the kilns, workshops, and makers featured in our shop — each one disclosed in our About section — and hand-pack every piece in Japan for safe delivery worldwide.
