Sake cup (Guinomi) – Yakishime (Shigaraki Land)

■Important Notes Regarding High-Temperature-Fired pieces
This product was fired in a pit kiln at a temperature exceeding 1300°C. In a pit kiln, the falling ash melts and takes on a pearly appearance, while traces of charring and reddish highlights appear on the surfaces of the pieces. These color variations are what give wood firing in a pit kiln its unique charm. Because this item is made from raw, unsifted clay, the clay particles are not uniform in size and contain many small pebbles, which is why water leakage often occurs. Therefore, after being treated to prevent leakage, flower vases are filled with water for about a week after firing, and tea bowls, sake cups, and sake bottles are filled with water for a day and a night to check for leaks. However, water leakage may reappear during use. If you can identify the exact spot where the leak is occurring, apply a small amount of instant glue to the tip of a needle and seal the gap with pinpoint precision to stop the leak.
In the case of tea bowls, the gap is sometimes naturally filled over time as matcha residue accumulates with use, leading to improvement, so we would recommend taking a patient, long-term view of this natural process.