Gardien de thé

This tea set is made entirely by hand by its craftsman.
It is much lighter and sturdier than you might imagine. The delicate design and friendly shape are the most important features of this product. The one-of-a-kind tea set created by an award-winning craftsman in the world of tea will make your sipping time sparkle and shine. As the set includes the main body and 6 cups, please enjoy it with your friends.

Tea Pot
Width：13cm
Depth：10.5cm
Height：10cm
Weight：149g

Tea cup
Width：6cmDepth：6cmHeight：4.5cmWeight：40g

Clay

SEISHO KATO

ARTISAN STORY

Suguru Kato / Kiyomasa Kato

ACHIEVEMENTS

・Received the Craft Association Award at the Japan Sencha Craft Exhibition
・Received the Chairman's Award from the Kyoto Sake Brewers Association
・Received the Craft Association Award at the Japan Sencha Craft Exhibition

KYO WARE & KIYOMIZU WARE

About 1,200 years ago / 800s / Heian Period (794–1185)

Kyoto ceramics reach back to kilns operating before and during the Heian period, then expanded with tea culture in the Muromachi and Momoyama eras. In the seventeenth century, Nonomura Ninsei perfected brilliant overglaze decoration, followed by innovators such as Ogata Kenzan, Okuda Eisen and Aoki Mokubei, whose diverse approaches shaped today’s Kyo and Kiyomizu ware.

In Japan, these ceramics are famous precisely because there is no single fixed style. Tea bowls, kaiseki dishes and everyday tableware may use overglaze painting, blue-and-white decoration, gold, sancai-inspired color and many other techniques. The craft sits at the heart of Kyoto’s culture of pairing vessels with cuisine and tea.

The surprising point is that Kyoto was never defined by a single major clay deposit. Potters drew on materials such as Amakusa porcelain stone, techniques arriving from other regions, and the tastes of artists and patrons gathered in the capital. Freedom from one local material helped make Kyoto ceramics unusually hybrid and stylistically diverse.

Individual Differences

As each piece is individually handcrafted, slight variations in color, pattern, shape, and texture may occur. These subtle differences are a natural characteristic of handcrafted works, making each piece truly unique. We hope you will enjoy these individual variations as part of the beauty and character of Japanese craftsmanship.

Production Time

If an item is not currently in stock, it may be made to order by the artisan. As each piece is carefully handcrafted, production may take several months depending on the item and the artisan's schedule. We appreciate your patience and understanding.