Japanese Nerikomi Mug Chevron-like Yarai Pattern – Seto Ware Ceramic by Tetsuo Nagae

This mug is handcrafted by Tetsuo Nagae, a renowned ceramic artist based in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan—one of the country’s most historic pottery regions with nearly 1,000 years of tradition. So closely tied to ceramics is Seto that the word “setomono” has long been used in Japan to mean pottery itself.

Nagae specializes in the Nerikomi (kneaded clay) technique, in which carefully prepared colored clays are layered, cut, and assembled to create patterns that run through the entire body of the piece. This process is often compared to cutting Kintaro candy, where each slice reveals a unique and complete design.

The mug features a rhythmic chevron pattern inspired by “Yarai,” a traditional Japanese zigzag motif originally seen in bamboo fences and architectural elements. In Japanese design, Yarai patterns are valued for their sense of structure, movement, and quiet elegance. Here, the motif is reinterpreted through the Nerikomi technique by precisely laminating multiple colored clays, creating a flowing zigzag design that feels both dynamic and refined.

Unlike surface decoration, the pattern runs through the entire clay body, giving the mug depth and durability as well as visual richness.

Because the layered joints are extremely delicate, the piece is dried slowly over several weeks, then gently scraped and polished by hand to reveal the intricate Nerikomi pattern beneath the surface.

As each mug is handmade, no two are exactly alike. Subtle variations in color, pattern, and form are a natural result of the Nerikomi process and a hallmark of authentic Seto ware.

Comfortable to hold and well-balanced, this mug is ideal for coffee, tea, or everyday use, while also serving as a refined example of contemporary Japanese ceramic art rooted in tradition.