Yobitsugi Cup - Red Lacquered Cup Handcrafted in Japan

The Yobitsugi Cup is a lacquered cup handcrafted in Aizuwakamatsu, Japan.

With its sleek curves and its refined lacquer work, the Yobitsugi Cup combines a modern and elegant design with the best of Japanese traditional craft. Each material used, from the wood to each layer of lacquer applied, was carefully selected to create a stylish cup that will make your tea time extra special.

Special Features of the Yobitsugi Cup:

 - Designed to last, the cup has been lacquered with multiple layers of urushi lacquer. Urushi lacquer is a very durable and high-quality material that is resistant to water, alkali, alcohol, acids and heat. It can also prevent decay and is known for having antibacterial properties.

- A beautiful matte finish: We have gone for a matte finish, which beautifully highlights the maki-e work. Very smooth, the surface of the cup is very comfortable to the touch. In order to get this neat result, no less than 8 layers of traditional urushi were necessary, which represents about 3 months of work alone. 

- The Yobitsugi Cup is decorated with a gold maki-e of the Japanese pattern ”seigaiha.” This pattern depicts an infinity of waves, interlocked into one another. In Japan, it is known as an auspicious pattern that represents the blessings of the sea and the peaceful relations. It is also often associated with resilience. 

- Since wood has a very low heat conductivity, you can drink hot beverages in your Yobitsugi Cup without fearing to burn yourself while holding it. Your hot beverages will stay warmer much longer, which will allow you to enjoy your drink at your own pace. 

The Story Behind This Cup:

At Tsugu Tsugu, we are passionate about traditional Japanese craft and we are deeply committed to its preservation and its transmission to newer generations. In our studios in Tokyo, we teach the art of kintsugi, a restoration technique for ceramics that is based on the use of urushi lacquer and gold. Kintsugi originally stems from the art of lacquerware. Kintsugi has been booming over the last few years, but the lacquer industry overall has known a sharp decline and it may completely disappear if nothing is done.

We decided to act and started the Yobitsugi Cup Project, a cup that is designed to bring together people, modern design and traditional craft ! To bring this project to life, we have worked with Japanese artisans based in the small town of Aizuwakamatsu, which is well-known in Japan for its lacquerware.

With this unique cup, we wish to share with the world the beauty of Japanese lacquerware and support the lacquerware industry.

Product details:

Size: diameter of 8 cm at the top, 7.5 cm high (diameter of 3.15 in at the top, 2.95 in high). It can hold up to 160 ml (5.41 oz.)

Weight: 160-190 g (Each cup is unique and weight can slightly vary).

Color: Bengal Red

Materials: Lacquer (urushi), horse chestnut wood, genuine gold powder.

Maki-e: Maki-e is a technique in lacquerware that consists in dusting metallic powders over fresh urushi lacquer in order to decorate objects. It is a technique that requires skilled hands and a lot of experience to obtain a good result. For the Yobitsugi Cup, we created a maki-e design that evokes a piece of yobitsugi. All the maki-e work has been performed using genuine gold powder.

Origin: Aizuwakamatsu, Japan.

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