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Yunomi search

by Salsero » May 28th, '08, 00:05

OK, now that Chamekke has told me that my coaster is actually a chataku, I've ordered several more bargain basement kind from Utsuwa (thanks for the linky Joel) and Hibiki-an.

With five or six chataku on the way, I realized it would be good to have some yunomi to sit on them, so I ordered a couple of the less expensive ones from Hibiki-an, including, I think, a clone of Ed's two-needled pine fasicle one. Thanks to Chamekke, we know that the two-needle fasicle represents "romantic or marital fidelity, because the needles form pairs that never come apart," and I think that is just peachy, makes the design that much more precious. Predictibly enough, this has led me to all kinds of worry about those Pine species that bear three-needle or five-needle fasicles, but that will have to wait for another post, and maybe a different forum.

The two sets of cups I have on the way are both only 100 ml which serves many of my tea purposes just fine. That's about the same size as the medium-sized Leaping Carp cup in my avatar. However, there are situations where a 130 ml or even 150 or 165 ml cup would be a lot more convenient.

Are there such things as almost giant-sized yunomi? I have to have porcelain since I just hate all the ceramic ones (as you have all gathered from my nasty remarks) and the inside has to be white or at least mostly white or I don't think I can see the tea. Oh, and under $50 would be nice. I really only need one, but I wouldn't mind paying $50 for one I really liked. Do I need to start hitting the BC thrift shops like Chamekke? Google hasn't panned out too well for me this go around.

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

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Re: Yunomi search

by chamekke » May 28th, '08, 00:58

Good question. I think that larger yunomi do exist, but - to my knowledge they are relatively rare in Japan. The emphasis there seems to be on drinking multiple helpings from smaller yunomi, rather than drinking fewer helpings from larger vessels. Your best bet may be to find North American potters who are "Asian-influenced".

By the way, Sal, do you actually hate all ceramics, or is it a matter of disliking the rough/wabi style that so many people here are fond of?

I own exactly one large(ish) yunomi. It's nearly 4" high, and the diameter at its widest point is about the same. I don't know who the potter is (this was an eBay find from last year), but it's likely an American. It's a ceramic piece, but not what I'd call wabi! The colours in real life are much more interesting than the photo suggests, incidentally. This picture is from the listing (I'd take my own photo, but this yunomi is currently at the office):

Image

Does this sort of thing appeal to you at all, or must you have porcelain alone - preferably with a white interior?

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Re: Yunomi search

by Salsero » May 28th, '08, 01:11

chamekke wrote:Does this sort of thing appeal to you at all, or must you have porcelain alone - preferably with a white interior?
You are such a good teacup counselor! The shameful truth is that I am trying to match Japanese Yunomi with Chinese Yixing teapots. The one you pictured is pretty and all, but the white interior is absolutely critical to my enjoyment of tea. Call me sick, you won't be the first one!

I've been enjoying glass enormously lately since it is even more revealing of the tea than a white cup. Frankly, I don't understand how anyone can drink tea from a cup with a dark interior: I am that bad about it. I used to drink coffee from dark cups sometimes, but even espresso I prefer in white.

Matcha is nice in black, but sencha, puerh, oolong, green ... even blacks (which I am not consuming much of these days) I feel I have to see. Sorry. I guess ceramic with a pristine white interior like porcelain would be OK, but I don't think it exists and besides it would probably be ugly!

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Re: Yunomi search

by chamekke » May 28th, '08, 01:22

Salsero wrote:The one you pictured is pretty and all, but the white interior is absolutely critical to my enjoyment of tea. Call me sick, you won't be the first one!
Not at all. I never really appreciated how lovely a white interior can be until I came across the yunomi with the pine-needle design. Now I wish I had more white-porcelain pieces of that quality.

I don't have any solutions for you, but I will definitely keep my eyes open for larger yunomi of the type you describe. If I see anything at all that I think might appeal to you, you can expect a PM :wink:
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Re: Yunomi search

by Salsero » May 28th, '08, 01:30

chamekke wrote:If I see anything at all that I think might appeal to you, you can expect a PM :wink:
Thanks!

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Re: Yunomi search

by Beidao » May 28th, '08, 07:35

Salsero wrote:
chamekke wrote:The one you pictured is pretty and all, but the white interior is absolutely critical to my enjoyment of tea. Call me sick, you won't be the first one!
If you're sick, I'm sick too, and then we can start our own ward in the tea nerd looney bin :wink: I feel physically ill when drinking tea from a cup with dark interior. Sandy I can stand, but anything else - NO :shock:
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Re: Yunomi search

by Salsero » May 28th, '08, 09:05

Beidao wrote:If you're sick, I'm sick too...
I am so glad to know that I am not alone!

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by Buzz Fledderjohn » May 28th, '08, 09:07

Not to derail the quest for yumoni (which I'm always interested in seeing pictures of) but three-needle clusters actually do have significance in Japanese culture:

Legend has it that Kukai (later to be known as Kobo Daishi) threw a sankosho (a symbolic Buddhist pestle), which had been given to him by his master Keika, into the sky toward the east, with a wish that it would land in the ideal place for him to begin preaching Shingon (esoteric) Buddhism. On returning to Japan, Kukai looked for the sankosho and finally found it hanging on a pine tree in Koyasan. After more than 1,200 years, the pine tree is still revered by monks and visited by many tourists daily.
The pine tree has a bundle of three needle-shaped leaves, just like the sankosho, which has three prongs at each end.

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by joelbct » May 28th, '08, 09:47

You could try:

AN has some nice Hagi yunomi, which are white, and Porcelain as well, if that is your style.

Also, the huge Tokoname Catalog has many teapots and cups at wholesale prices. I believe the cups are towards the end.
For that site, go here to order.


Traditionally, the larger, taller Yunomi are used as daily cups, while the shorter round ones are used for guests.

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by Salsero » May 28th, '08, 09:51

joelbct wrote:You could try: ...
Joel, you have got to be a bot! Thanks for the linkies.

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by chamekke » May 28th, '08, 10:04

Buzz Fledderjohn wrote:Legend has it that Kukai (later to be known as Kobo Daishi) threw a sankosho (a symbolic Buddhist pestle), which had been given to him by his master Keika, into the sky toward the east, with a wish that it would land in the ideal place for him to begin preaching Shingon (esoteric) Buddhism. On returning to Japan, Kukai looked for the sankosho and finally found it hanging on a pine tree in Koyasan. After more than 1,200 years, the pine tree is still revered by monks and visited by many tourists daily.
The pine tree has a bundle of three needle-shaped leaves, just like the sankosho, which has three prongs at each end.
Thanks for that wonderful story! I wonder whether the three needles are said to symbolize the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha)?
Last edited by chamekke on May 28th, '08, 10:09, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Yunomi search

by chamekke » May 28th, '08, 10:09

Salsero wrote:The two sets of cups I have on the way are both only 100 ml which serves many of my tea purposes just fine. That's about the same size as the medium-sized Leaping Carp cup in my avatar. However, there are situations where a 130 ml or even 150 or 165 ml cup would be a lot more convenient.

Are there such things as almost giant-sized yunomi?
Actually, I experimented with my own yunomi last night and realized that the volumes you're talking about aren't particularly "giant". For example, the pine-needle yunomi holds about 190 ml!

So I am sure it's not too hard to find larger yunomi (if you're in Japan!). However, as Joel says, you'll be looking for taller, cylindrical yunomi rather than the shorter ones.
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by battra » May 28th, '08, 10:15

My local japanese food store has a selection of both many normal size yunomi and bigger yunomi referred to as "sushi yunomi" (for drinking tea with sushi?) - I got one made with shino technique, which seem to be identic to this one:
Image
which takes more than 300 ml.
(from http://www.rakuten.co.jp/oyatanuki/1830 ... 5/#1397945 - it is called "sushi yumoni" on that page too.)

I also have a quite big bizen yunomi (height 7.6cm, diameter 8cm)
Image
(from http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/bizen/BZ-113.html ) Of course you can't get exactly this one, but I do not think it is uncommon to find bizen yumoni of sizes larger than standard size.

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by Salsero » May 28th, '08, 10:53

Buzz Fledderjohn wrote:Legend has it that ...
Thanks so much for sharing, Buzz.

I am finding things that are attractive in Joel's references. I've even placed an order for a (gasp) Hagi ceramic one from Artistic Nippon. I never in my wildest nightmares thought I would be ordering from Artistic Nippon! This is the one I ordered: http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/h ... gicup.html

I've also been looking at some of the porcelain ones and shochu cups. It looks like there is a lot available, just not that easy to find.

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by Victoria » May 28th, '08, 12:10

Salsero wrote:
Buzz Fledderjohn wrote:Legend has it that ...
Thanks so much for sharing, Buzz.

I am finding things that are attractive in Joel's references. I've even placed an order for a (gasp) Hagi ceramic one from Artistic Nippon. I never in my wildest nightmares thought I would be ordering from Artistic Nippon! This is the one I ordered: http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/h ... gicup.html

I've also been looking at some of the porcelain ones and shochu cups. It looks like there is a lot available, just not that easy to find.
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