Egg Shell Sake Cup Arita Ware Guinomi 250cc

What is the Egg Shell Sake Cup?
The Egg Shell series guinomi (ぐい呑み) is a masterpiece of Arita ware (有田焼) — porcelain sake cups from the Yamahira kiln in Arita, Saga, fired at 1,300°C for 13 hours. The walls are thrown so thin they resemble an eggshell, which is the whole point of the piece: a cup that carries centuries of Japanese porcelain tradition in a shell you can almost see through. Each cup is 250cc and comes in a paulownia wood box.

The thinness is what makes it special, and what makes it hard to make — porcelain this fine takes a master's hand and a long, high firing to hold its shape. In the hand it feels almost weightless, and the rim is fine enough to change how the sake meets your lip. It's made to order, so each one is produced for the order.

Specifications

How to use

Pour sake and drink — the fine rim and thin body make the cup feel light and bring the sake cleanly to the lip, which is why collectors prize eggshell porcelain for tasting. It suits any sake, warm or cold. Because the porcelain is so thin, handle and wash it gently by hand, and store it in its box. A piece to bring out for a good bottle rather than everyday use.

Uses — sake tasting, special bottles, gifting, and collecting.