These two yunomi (Japanese tea cups) are hand-painted at Bizan Kiln (美山窯), a small fourth-generation family kiln in Terai-chō, Nomi City, Ishikawa.
The design follows their Yoshidaya style — a traditional four-color Kutani palette (green/blue-green, yellow, purple, deep blue) with a peony motif symbolizing prosperity and happiness.
Yoshidaya Botan (Peony) is one of Bizan Kiln’s signature patterns and a design they are especially proud of. As my first introduction of Kutani — and Bizan Kiln — to Estonia, I chose this style because it represents their craftsmanship beautifully.
This set is a meoto yunomi (“couple cups”) with one cup slightly larger than the other — a classic Japanese pairing and a comfortable set to use or gift.
Visiting Bizan Kiln
Bizan Kiln (美山窯) began when the family’s great-grandfather Sakujiro became a porcelain painter. Now run by the fourth generation, their philosophy is to bring Kutani into everyday life — keeping the warmth of hand-painting while using technology only where it supports the craft.
Kutani workshops are usually tucked quietly inside residential neighborhoods, separate from the retail shops in Kanazawa and other cities, so visiting a studio directly isn’t very common. I was honestly nervous to knock on their door.
Inside Bizan Kiln, I met the artisans and saw the painting room filled with brushes, pigments, and trays of cups slowly gaining color, layer by layer. The kiln uses modern outlining tools for the initial lines, but all the painting is done entirely by hand, giving each cup a gentle, tactile surface where the pigments naturally build up.
This yunomi pair comes straight from that workshop.
Features
- Hand-painted at Bizan Kiln
- Yoshidaya peony motif
- Natural variations in brushwork and color
- Classic meoto (pair) sizing
- Tactile texture from hand-applied pigments
About Kutani Ware
Kutani is a relatively “new” Japanese ceramic tradition, beginning in the 17th century in what is now Kaga City, Ishikawa.
The first Kutani era ended mysteriously, and pieces from that time are called Old Kutani.
Kutani was revived in the 1800s and later became widely known through exports to Western markets, especially with its bold red-and-gold styles.
At its core, however, Kutani has always been about painting — a collaborative craft where forming and painting are often done by different artisans.
Today, Kutani kilns range from fully handmade studios to workshops that use modern outlining tools, creating a distinctive blend of tradition and innovation.
Sizes
- Large cup: 7 cm diameter × 8.8 cm height
- Small cup: 6.7 cm diameter × 8.5 cm height
