Red Shino Small Cup

Crafted by Kan Matsuzaki, this small guinomi sake cup is a vessel that connects your eyes that love the red stark colour, the feel of the textured surface to the taste of your tea and beverage. In a small but mighty size this cup is as unique as it is easy to hold. You can find each Shino cup is made by hand so each slightly differ in weight and feel. 

Shino glaze, whether in its soft white or distinctive red form, is celebrated for its depth, texture, and interplay of colour, created through careful chemistry and firing. Originating in the Mino kilns of 16th-century Japan, it was among the first high-fired white-glazed ceramics, prized by tea masters for its expressive surfaces. The glaze is primarily feldspar-based, containing natural sodium and iron, which react under high heat in the kiln. During firing, iron in the clay and glaze subtly oxidises, producing the warm red and orange tones in areas where the glaze is thin or the flame is most intense. Sodium helps the glaze flow and melt, creating the smooth, pooling surface and the tiny pinholes that give Shino its characteristic texture. The resulting effect is a luminous, richly varied surface, where subtle shifts in colour and texture are a direct record of the interaction between materials, flame, and time.

Comes with its own wooden box signed by the artist