Kutani Yunomi Cup Pair — Iroe Yu Cat & Moon Hidamari Tea Set

Hand-painted Kutani ware yunomi (Japanese tea cup) pair from the 陽だまり (Hidamari / 'Sunny Spot') series, crafted by the 色絵 遊 (Iroe Yu) workshop in Ishikawa, Japan. Two cats — one white, one chestnut — sit shoulder-to-shoulder inside a round white moon-disc reserve, gazing at a single spray of seasonal blossoms: forget-me-nots on the larger cup, plum or cherry on the smaller. The speckled grey ground around the disc is finished in a kohiki-style wash, lending each piece a quiet, refined surface.

📐 Specifications

• Set: 2 cups (夫婦湯呑 meoto yunomi — Japanese 'husband-and-wife' pair)
• Larger cup: 7.5 cm diameter × 9.0 cm height (≈2.95″ × 3.54″) — forget-me-not motif
• Smaller cup: 6.5 cm diameter × 8.5 cm height (≈2.56″ × 3.35″) — plum / cherry motif
• Capacity: TBD on dispatch (supplier silent; will measure on first-unit)
• Material: Stoneware (陶器 tōki), Kutani-yaki lineage — hand-thrown
• Surface: Kohiki-style speckled grey wash with iron-spot mottling under transparent glaze; dark glossy black interior; cream/tan unglazed foot-ring clay
• Decoration: 色絵 (iroe) hand-painted overglaze + raised enamel dot work + gold accents
• Foot mark: red 「遊」 (Yu) workshop seal on both cups
• Box: Printed Kutani gift box with KUTANI brand mark + asanoha (麻の葉) + shippō (七宝) + seigaiha (青海波) traditional patterns
• Accessories: Tri-fold 九谷焼 information brochure
• Made by Iroe Yu Workshop / Kutani-yaki in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, curated by ZenKiln
• Ships in 1–3 business days (ZK own-stock ready-to-ship)

🏮 Workshop & tradition

Kutani ware (九谷焼 / kutani-yaki) is a Japanese ceramic tradition from Ishikawa Prefecture, recognised for hand-painted overglaze decoration and the five-colour 五彩 (kutani-gosai) palette. The Iroe Yu workshop — based in the Kutani heartland — works in this lineage, treating each cup as a small painted scene. The Hidamari series has been part of the workshop's catalogue since 2019, distinguished by its kohiki-style grey ground and warm-narrative animal motifs.

🐱 Pattern & design

The Hidamari Cat & Moon motif places two seated cats inside a circular reserve, like a winter window or a full moon. The larger cup carries forget-me-nots; the smaller a single branch of plum or cherry blossom — a seasonal pairing rather than a matched set. Raised enamel dots define each flower, gold accents sit at the centres, and a red painter's seal 遊 (Yu) appears on the foot of every piece.

✨ What is a Meoto Yunomi?

A meoto yunomi (夫婦湯呑) is a Japanese tea cup pair made in two sizes — traditionally one slightly larger and one slightly smaller, shared between two people at home. The form is a classical wedding and anniversary gift in Japan, representing companionship across daily life.

🍵 Use

• Daily Japanese green tea for two (sencha, hojicha, genmaicha, bancha)
• Tea-corner display: pair on a dark wood tray with a kyusu teapot
• Wedding, anniversary, or Father's Day gift — the meoto-yunomi pair is a classical Japanese gifting form
• Slow-tea ritual cup: the kohiki ground and hand-painted moon reserve invite quiet attention

🧼 Care

• Hand-wash only with mild soap and warm water; rinse and air-dry
• Do not soak overnight; avoid abrupt temperature changes
• Microwave and dishwasher use have not been confirmed by the workshop — use hot water from a kettle or stovetop only
• The slightly out-of-round rim is intentional. Each cup is hand-finished, and the lip follows the painter's touch rather than a mould.

📌 Reference Conversions

• Larger 7.5 cm ≈ 2.95", 9.0 cm ≈ 3.54"
• Smaller 6.5 cm ≈ 2.56", 8.5 cm ≈ 3.35"
• 陽だまり (hidamari) ≈ 'sunlit spot / patch of warm sun'
• 夫婦湯呑 (meoto yunomi) ≈ 'husband-and-wife tea cup pair'

About ZenKiln — 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.

📦 Ships from Japan, hand-packed for safe delivery.