Free Cups & Tumblers

Without a handle, a free cup refuses to be assigned a job. Tea, beer, water. You can hold it in one hand or cup it in both, and nothing about it tells you which is correct.

Straight-sided ones, ones that open towards the rim, and goblet forms raised on a foot. Some have ridges cut down the side; some are incised with fine lines; some are fired without glaze, bare clay straight to the flame; some are coated in white slip. The unglazed ones carry a slight roughness on the inside wall, which is why beer poured into them throws a finer head.

Most hold 200–350ml. Around 200ml if you would rather pour a can in two goes, 350ml and up if you want it all at once. If you are choosing one for tea, see choosing a yunomi; for coffee, Japanese pottery mugs.