The yunomi is a style of Japanese teacup for daily tea drinking. It has a long tradition, evolving into a variety of styles and shapes that are usually cylindrical with a turned foot. Without a handle, yunomi are ideal for cradling in your hands to savour the warmth and aroma of your drink.

The yunomi has become an important form for potters outside Japan - particularly those in the West, who use its deceptive simplicity to explore their skills and creativity. In the West, the yunomi is seen as a playful drinking vessel for anything from water to wine. Yet the yunomi still embodies its original noble function as a piece of pottery that is used, and loved, every day.

In Japan, tea drinking is revered as an art form that stretches back centuries. The traditional chanoyu, or tea ceremony, uses highly valued pottery teabowls called chawan. These are typically larger than yunomi and contain within their form ritualistic and practical elements that have evolved with the ceremony. Yunomi, being a less formal cousin of the chawan, are associated with everyday tea drinking.

Through our Limited Edition Yunomi we celebrate the vision of our founders, Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada, by honouring the creative exchange between East and West.

Read about Lead Potter Reolof Uys’s first encounter with a yunomi on our blog.