Pour Sake Into These Cups and Watch the Cherry Blossoms Bloom

23.July.2020 | FASHION

Japanese online store Fujimaki, which sells rare luxury products, released the new “Sakura no Heihai” (Cherry Blossom Sake Cup) on July 18 which has a cherry tree design on it that blossoms when cold sake is poured over it.

The cup is manufactured by Marumo Takagi, a Japanese pottery and ceramics company based in Tajimi, Gifu, which has been running for over 130 years. Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people held out on the Hanami (cherry blossom flower viewing) in Japan this year. Marumo Takagi conceived the idea for their new cup as a result of this so that people can enjoy Hanami from the comfort of their own home.

Left: Blossoms in 7 minutes with liquids near 17°C / Right: Very cold liquids cause a full bloom

Each and every cup is handmade individually, including the cherry blossom designs. The flowers bloom a faint pink when the users pours in liquid which are of a temperature around 17°C. If the liquid is very cold, the cherry blossoms take on a full bloom pattern. The white porcelain serves to emphasise the pink hues of the flowers.

The secret behind how this reaction happens lies in the tools used to draw the illustration. Seiji Takagi, the 5th generation president of Marumo Takagi, conceived the idea when he simply thought how amusing it would be to have a function on one of the company’s drinking vessels that changes as a result of temperature.

 

Takagi explained how the went through much trial and error to achieve their vision for the colour, something which they were more focused on than everything else in the manufacturing process.

Cherry Blossom Sake Cup (Japanese: 桜の平盃): ¥3,300 (Tax Included)

The western region of Gifu Prefecture is famous for its Japanese ceramics. It is the biggest pottery manufacturing location in Japan and has been firing up ceramics for over 1,300 years. The city of Tajimi in Gifu, where Marumo Takagi is based, has prospered when it comes to the creating sake cups. The cherry blossom sake cup comes as an innovative design and shows the true skill and art of Marumo Takagi’s artisans.

RELATED ENTRIES

  • Cherry Blossom Menu Appears at Cafe Accueil Ebisu for a Limited Time

    04.April.2022 | FOOD / SPOT

    Cafe Accueil Ebisu is currently offering a limited Sakura-themed menu featuring pancakes, afternoon tea, and drinks until April 10, 2022.   Sakura & Strawberry Pancakes   Sakura Afternoon Tea   Special Latte with Cherry Blossoms   The seasonal menu includes Sakura & Strawberry Pancakes with pale pink and strawberry red accents, and savory items such as a croissant with cherry cheese cream. Guests can also enjoy Sakura Afternoon Tea, a colorful 12-item menu featuring cherry and strawberry delights. Come enjoy the coming of spring at this gorgeous Tokyo cafe!  
  • NAKED’s Popular Sakura Artwork Transformed into Company’s First NFT

    29.March.2022 | FASHION

    The NFT platform ‘Adam by GMO’ will offer the creative company NAKED’s first piece of NFT art. Sakura Ousai has been featured in the hands-on art exhibition NAKED FLOWERS held in Nihonbashi, Nijo Castle, Hong Kong, and Korea. The NFT will be available in late March and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to support Ukraine.   Since its establishment in 1997, NAKED has constantly produced incredibly unique art installations to fit with the times. Starting with the projection mapping of Tokyo Station in 2012, the company has created unprecedented art and entertainment experiences by combining real space with virtual experiences. The current theme is ‘borderless creativity,’ and creating NFT art fits into this vision. NAKED FLOWERS, one of NAKED's signature events, has been held since the New Year 2016. The NAKED FLOWERS experience has now been converted into a piece of NFT art for the first time, and buyers can enjoy these cherry blossoms no matter their location!
  • NAKED Sakura Pilgrimage Event Comes to Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo

    28.March.2022 | FASHION / SPOT

    People flock to Kanda Myojin to pray for good luck at the start of the new financial year, surrounded by beautiful pink blooms. The shrine offers beautiful sights during the day, and this year, it's collaborating with digital art collective NAKED to host a beautiful light-up event every evening from March 26 until April 10, 2022.   Kanda Myojin is a hidden cherry blossom viewing spot in Tokyo. This spring-only event is held in the hope that people will pray at Kanda Myojin, one of the most popular power spots in Tokyo, for a great start to the new year. Guests will be able to see cherry blossom trees lit up in iridescent lights with pink petals projected on the ground. Some of the digital sakura are interactive and change shape and color when you’re nearby. Digital art is even incorporated at the hand sanitizing station, where you’ll see vivid pink sakura projected onto your palms. Visitors will also be handed a special Naked Distance Lantern, which naturally creates distance between others as you hold it up.
  • Lake Biwa Canal’s Cherry Blossoms to Come to Life During Spring Illumination 2022 Event

    28.March.2022 | SPOT

    Lake Biwa Canal, one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in Shiga, will be completely illuminated each night from March 25 until April 10! The nearby Onjo-ji Temple will also be lit up during the duration of the event.   Lake Biwa, Otsu Spring Illumination - Cherry Blossoms on the Lake Biwa CanalThe Lake Biwa Canal carries water from the biggest lake in Japan to Kyoto and was built during the Meiji era using the best civil engineering technology of the time. Both sides of the bank are lined with almost 200 cherry trees, making it one of the most beautiful cherry blossom viewing spots with a spectacular view leading to Onjo-ji Temple.   Onjo-ji Spring Illumination 2022Over 600 lights will be set up around the temple grounds to illuminate the cherry blossoms. The national treasures and designated cultural properties will be completely open to the public for nighttime viewing.
  • Cherry Blossom Drone Project 2022 to Bring Hanami to People Around the World

    27.March.2022 | MOVIE / SPOT

    Wishing you could be in Japan to see the cherry blossoms? The Cherry Blossom Drone Project on March 27 will be live-broadcasting some of the most beautiful blossoms in the country to viewers around the world.    Incredible 4K aerial footage will be available to watch on YouTube LIVE for free from 12:00 until 19:00 on March 27, 2022. No matter where you are, you’ll be able to lose yourself in the feeling of spring.      Three Best Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots Chosen by Sakura Enthusiasts   Breathtaking Mountain Cherry Blossoms at Mount Yoshino in Nara
        The First New Sakura Species in Over 100 Years Found in Wakayama Prefecture
      A Sea of Cherry Blossoms at Takato Joshi Park in Ina, Nagano Prefecture
  • McDonald’s Japan Offering Sakura Mochi Pie to Celebrate Springtime

    23.March.2022 | FOOD

    McDonald's Japan will start selling the new Sakura Mochi Pie starting March 23, 2022 for a limited time only. The new pie is inspired by sakura mochi, a traditional wagashi sweet popular during spring. Sakura mochi is typically made from mochi rice cakes filled with a sweet red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled cherry blossom leaf. The McDonald's pie is filled with azuki red bean paste and a chewy, sakura-flavored mochi that features bits of pickled sakura leaves.   The packaging will also feature spring designs and each pie costs just ¥150. They will be available until mid-April.