“Flute” Series Teacups / Kamide Chōemon Kiln

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About Kamide Choemon Kiln

Kamide Choemon Kiln has been making Kutani ware since 1879, when it was founded in the town of Terai in Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture — the hometown of Kutani Shōza, the artisan credited with carrying Kutani ware onto the world stage during the Meiji era. Kutani ware itself dates back to the early Edo period in the village of Kutani, known for its vivid five-color palette of indigo, yellow, green, purple, and deep blue. For more than 140 years, generations of kiln masters have carried forward the name "Choemon," focused from the start on tableware meant for everyday use. Unlike most kilns in the region, Choemon keeps nearly every step in-house — from wheel-throwing to hand-painting — giving each piece a distinctive, unified sensibility. Today, under sixth-generation head Keigo Kamide, the kiln continues to honor tradition while embracing new ideas, including collaborations with Spanish designers, and opens its workshop each spring and autumn to pass the craft on to the next generation.

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The Appeal of Kamide Choemon Kiln

What makes Kamide Choemon Kiln special is how naturally traditional craftsmanship and playful imagination coexist in a single piece. Its rich overglaze enamel and deep indigo underglaze are refined through the kiln's in-house process, and the pieces are prized as much for their durability and smooth feel as for their looks. Its signature "Fuefuki" (Flute Player) motif has been painted for more than sixty years, and in recent years has grown into an unexpected new series — the same kimono-clad figures now play guitar, spin records as a DJ, or ride a skateboard. A beckoning-cat series and, through a collaboration with Tokyo University of the Arts, the "Okakura Tenshin" teacup, add real storytelling to everyday use, and the kiln's work is shown in galleries abroad as well as shops across Japan. Sixth-generation potter Keigo Kamide has said he wants each piece to help the person using it notice something, or feel reconnected to nature and the seasons. That quiet magic — the kind that makes you smile every time you pick one up — is what defines a Choemon piece.

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Suggested Ways to Use It

These teacups are made for daily life, not just display. Use one for your everyday tea, or as a stand-in mug for your morning coffee — or pair it with a sweet treat for a small, at-home tea moment. Collect a few different characters and let each person in the house claim their own, or set a mismatched row of them out for guests; it makes an easy conversation starter, especially with visitors unfamiliar with Kutani ware. They also make a thoughtful, story-rich gift for a housewarming, a birthday, or a seasonal thank-you. Styled alongside white porcelain and linen table linens, the indigo brushwork adds just the right accent to a table setting, and when not in use, they look lovely displayed on open shelving, figures facing out. To keep the hand-painted glaze looking its best, hand-wash with a mild detergent rather than using a dishwasher or microwave.

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