Blue Cloud Ofukei Mug - 210ml

This hand-crafted mug features a flared shape and is decorated in a unique style called seiunmon (青雲紋 - blue cloud pattern), developed by Katō Hiroshige to mimic the beauty of clouds floating in a deep blue sky.

This innovative style combines the traditional Ofukei (御深井) glazes unique to Akazu-yaki with the chōka (貼花) technique of pasting carved or stamped designs on the surface of the clay to create dimensional designs. The ofukei glaze on this mug consists of a base layer of a feldspar-rich ash glaze which fires into a celadon-esque green with beautiful crazing. The deep blue comes from gosu (呉須), a cobalt oxide-rich pigment traditionally used in blue-and-white porcelain.

Each cup is handmade, glazed, and painted by Katō Hiroshige (加藤裕重) of Kasen Kiln (喜多窯), using natural materials from the area surrounding his workshop.