Cat & Flower Mug

Cat & Flower Motif Sometsuke Mug – Blue & White Ware | Shingama Kiln (Seto, Japan)

This charming porcelain mug playfully depicts a curious cat peeking out from behind delicately painted flowers. The design, rendered in shades of indigo on a pure white base, captures both elegance and warmth. Gold detailing at the flower’s core adds a subtle accent, while the expressive brushwork gives the scene a soft, ink painting–like atmosphere.
Handmade at Shingama Kiln (眞窯) in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, the mug reflects more than a century of craftsmanship. Founded in 1919, Shingama has specialized in sometsuke (blue-and-white ware), creating works that balance traditional techniques with fresh, contemporary motifs.
Sometsuke is produced by painting with gosu—a cobalt-based pigment—on porcelain, applying a clear glaze, and firing the piece. The indigo tones vary with the clay, glaze, and firing, ensuring that each work is unique. Shingama’s artisans use the traditional dami technique, in which pigment is applied with rich, fluid brushstrokes, creating depth and subtle gradations reminiscent of ink painting.
Designated in 1997 as a Traditional Craft of Japan, Seto Sometsuke-yaki continues to be admired worldwide for its refined forms and expressive artistry.
Combining the lighthearted charm of a cat with the timeless beauty of floral motifs, this mug brings both playfulness and elegance to everyday use—making it a delightful gift for cat lovers and admirers of Japanese ceramics alike.