Yunomi/Tea Cup (White Sumi Crackle Glaze)

The White Sumi Yunomi from NANKEI POTTERY (南景製陶園) is a small, palm-fitting tea cup made in the Banko-yaki tradition of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture. The base glaze is white and smooth, crossed with kannyu — the fine surface cracks that form naturally when clay and glaze cool at different rates. NANKEI deepens these cracks by hand with India ink (sumi), tracing the fracture lines in black to create the sumi-kannyu pattern. New cracks appear as the cup is used, and the ink works deeper with time — the pattern slowly accumulates. Because the glaze absorbs slightly, darker teas can gradually tint the kannyu lines; this is part of the cup's character.

At 100ml, it holds a single pour of gyokuro or concentrated sencha. The white base glaze makes the dark sumi lines read sharply — classic contrast, no excess.