Japanese Tea Cups

What are traditional Japanese tea cups called?

Tea cups are called yunomi in Japan.

Yunomi is one of the vessels that has played an important role in Japanese tea culture. Its history has developed along with the spread of tea.

📗About Yunomi (Japanese cup of tea)

🍵History of yunomi

Tea is said to have been introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period (710-794). At that time, tea was mainly used for medicinal purposes. Later, tea became a popular drink among the nobility, and tea utensils gradually developed. Zen monks brought tea culture back from China and laid the foundation for Japan's own tea ceremony. The demand for tea utensils also increased. Later, tea master Sen no Rikyu established the Japanese tea ceremony, in which yunomi (tea bowls) played an important role. Under Rikyu's influence, yunomi were also produced to reflect the spirit of wabi-sabi. Japanese pottery production areas such as Arita-yaki, Kutaniyaki, and Hagiyaki were established throughout Japan, and yunomi unique to each area were produced. Developed under the influence of various historical backgrounds and cultures, the shapes and designs of yunomi have diversified and continue to evolve along with Japanese tea culture.

🍵Why do Japanese drink tea in small cups?

Small tea cups allow you to drink the tea before it cools down, so you can enjoy it at the right temperature. Drinking green tea at the right temperature allows you to enjoy its aroma and flavor to the fullest. It is recommended that Japanese tea, especially high quality tea such as Sencha and Gyokuro, be brewed and drunk in small quantities. This will allow you to fully enjoy the aroma and flavor of the tea.
And the spirit of hospitality, serving tea in small amounts in small teacups, is based on the traditional Japanese culture of politely entertaining guests. This increases the opportunities to pour more tea and allows you to value communication.

📗Types of Tea cups

🍵Yunomi

Shapes and sizes: A long cylindrical tea bowl.
Use: Mainly used for drinking tea.
Characteristics: The area where the tea touches the air is small, so it does not get cold easily.
Types of Japanese tea: Even if you drink a lot of warm tea, such as Bancha or Hojicha, you can enjoy it while it is still warm. There are also meoto yunomi (couple's teacups).

🍵Kumidashi

Shapes and Sizes: A long, shallow tea bowl with a wide mouth.
Use: Basically used to serve tea to guests.
Characteristics: Used for drinking tea in small quantities to enjoy its aroma and taste. In the Sencha tea ceremony, tea is prepared by paying attention to the temperature of the water and the time it takes to brew the tea, so a kumidashi teabowl is appropriate.
They are also used for entertaining guests. The beautifully painted Kumidashi teacups are a perfect expression of hospitality.
Types of Japanese tea:It is commonly used to brew high-grade Japanese teas such as sencha and gyokuro, as well as sencha, kombucha, and sakurayu.

🍵Matcha Bowl

Shapes and sizes:
1. Wide Mouth Shape
Matcha bowls with a wide mouth. It is often used in the tea ceremony because it is easy to serve matcha and allows the chasen to move freely when whisking. Often used in summer, it also looks cooler.
2. deep bowl
This shape is deep with a slightly narrow mouth. Often used in winter, it is good for keeping the matcha warm. Because of its depth, it easily conveys warmth when held in the hand and is preferred as a winter tea utensil.

Use: Matcha bowl is an essential tool for serving tea in the tea ceremony. It is used to serve matcha to guests at formal tea ceremonies. The matcha bowl used may change depending on the tea ceremony school and the season.

Matcha bowls are also used for special guests and occasions of hospitality. When serving matcha to guests, a high-quality matcha bowl is used to express the spirit of hospitality.

Characteristics: It is also an important tool for enjoying matcha in tea ceremonies and in daily matcha etiquette. In the tea ceremony, matcha bowls of different designs and shapes are sometimes used according to the season or the theme of the tea ceremony, and the beauty of the appearance and the feel of the bowl in one's hand are also elements to be enjoyed.
Types of Japanese Tea:Matcha bowls are mainly used for drinking powdered matcha tea (green tea).