A classic piece from Shimizu of Japonica—a Sugi (Japanese cedar) soba choko dyed with natural plant-based colors.
While traditionally used for soba noodles, it’s also perfect for enjoying a glass of water—or anything else you like.
Crafted using a yokogi-dori (horizontal grain orientation), the cup features a uzukuri (brushed texture) finish and is dyed with various plant-based dyes.
The mordants used vary depending on the dye: iron is used for onion, suo (sappanwood), and rosemary; alum for akane (madder); copper for kariyasu (a kind of Japanese silver glass); tin for logwood; and ai (indigo) is applied without any mordant.
The shop owner now enjoys shochu thanks to this cup—even though it wasn’t their favorite before.
When ice is added, the sound of the ice hitting the soft cedar side is very pleasant. Since the sound of ice cubes clinking together is less distinct, we recommend using larger ice cubes to enjoy the experience.
Please note that the color varies depending on the grain of the wood (the indigo cup in the photo features particularly bold grain). The appearance of the color also changes significantly depending on the lighting.
