Important notice to buyers in USA:

The shipping charge of this item includes applicable import fees (e.g. tariff, customs clearance handling charge by FedEx), so that you will not pay anything extra after checkout. (It is the reason why the shipping charge to USA appears quite higher than to other countries.) Should you have any questions, please message me.

Description: 

This is a set of Japanese lacquerware Sake cups made by Kihei in Wajima. Wajima is a mecca of Japanese lacquerware. They were made to drink Japanese Sake; however, you can use it in any ways with your creative idea, e.g., serve sweets or nuts. 


The set consists of 12 cups, i.e., one for each month. Each cup is decorated with a plant which represent the month, e.g., young pine tree for January, cherry blossom for April, camellia for November and so forth (based on lunar calendar). 

The decoration was made by a method called "CHINKIN". That is: 
First, the wooden cup is covered by red Japanese lacquer. The pattern (e.g., young pine tree) is engraved on the cup. Gold powder is placed along the engraved line, then covered by transparent Japanese lacquer. Yes, a lot of labor and time is required to make one cup. The result is really brilliant. 

The 11 cups are in excellent condition, i.e., no chip or clack. A virtually unnoticeable tiny chip is found at the edge of one plate (photo #11 - 12). 

As shown by the last three photos, the cups came with the original wood box and a cup stand. The artisan Kihei drew "12 Sake cups / different pattern for each month" on the surface of the lid and his signature at the back. 

Strangely enough, the box can contain 11 cups, i.e., not 12.  Thus, one cup should be placed on the cup stand. Why did this happen? My guess is that the box was delivered with the first cup (for January) and the 10 cups were delivered each month, and finally the last cup (for December) was delivered with the cup stand. 

Approximate Size & Weight / Each Plate: 
Diameter: 10.8 cm / 4.3 in     Height: 2.2 cm / 0.9 in   Weight: 26 - 36 gr / 0.9 - 1.3 oz

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Shipping: We ship to the following regions and states.
America: United States, Canada, Mexico

Europe / Middle East: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Turkey

Asia / Oceania: Australia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

Combined shipping:
If you would like, we can combine shipping under certain conditions, e.g. purchases within 3 days. If you want combine shipping, add items you want to your card, and click "Request total" before you pay. The updated invoice with the new cost of shipping will be sent to you. 

Important notice to international buyers: 
- Import duties, taxes and any other charges that may occur in your country are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These are buyer's responsibility.
- We can not mark the item as gift or put its merchandise value lower than your purchased price.   

Payment: Any payment accepted by eBay