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    On all UK orders

  • Shipping Duty & Taxes Paid

    EU & Norway

  • Shipping Duty & Taxes Paid

    USA, Australia, Canada, Singapore

We will shortly be on our annual trip to Japan. Orders placed after Sunday 26th July will be shipped at the beginning of September.

Bespoke shade orders placed after the 12th of July will ship in mid-September.

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Kintsugi Tatsumi Choko

£48500

We sent a badly smashed teacup or larger sake choko from the Tatsumi Kiln to Tanaka san in Kyoto. It took a whole lot of lacquer, gold and patience, but the result is spectacular, the tracery of gold around all the smaller pieces and cracks is magnificent.

The rough clay and wood-fired glaze from Tatsumi contrasts beautifully with the smooth and lustrous web of gold mends. Made traditionally with lacquer glue rather than epoxy, this is food-safe it you are tempted to sip some shochu on the rocks from the cup!
  • 7.0cm High, 8.0cm Wide, 8.0cm Long
  • (please see the Care Guide below)

Returns & Refunds

Free returns within the UK

All damage must be reported to us within 14 days of receiving the package

Full delivery and returns policy is here

Care Guide

Kintsugi is beautiful, and not just to look at – with a little care any piece mended with kintsugi can still be used. Natural Lacquer and gold are food safe, so there is nothing to worry about in terms of your health. Of course, the pieces are fragile and the gold (or silver) can be rubbed off with rough treatment, so here are our pointers:

  1. The number one rule is to treat any kintsugi very gently.
  2. Japanese tableware is designed with chopsticks in mind. We do not recommend using a knife and fork on a kintsugi piece.
  3. Please do not use the piece over direct heat, in the microwave or oven, and please do not steam.
  4. Wash with tepid water, or you can use a 5% solution of gentle washing up liquid to water.
  5. After washing, dry thoroughly with a dry towel. Please do not leave the piece in water.
  6. Never use the dishwasher or the gold / silver will come off.
  7. Please do not use a hard sponge, brush, scourer or a harsh cleanser when you wash.
  8. Lacquer glue is strong, but please avoid knocking or dropping the piece.
  9. If you want to stack the pieces, please place a sheet of cloth or kitchen paper between the pieces. If you have a piece on display, please stand it on a cloth rather than a hard surface. If it slides across the surface, there is a risk the gold will be scraped away.

Meet the Maker:

Kyoto Kinsetsu Kintsugi

We first met Tanaka san when we sent one of our own tea bowls to him for mending, and he did such a great job that we saved up all our broken items for him to mend!

A Kyoto native, he has a great network of friends and has introduced us to several interesting antique dealers in Kyoto, as well as the Crazy Ken Band.

See more from this Maker