A cup embellished with the delicate beauty of bamboo craft carries a breeze of tradition

About 筅 -sen-

This cup is a piece of porcelain tableware that combines white porcelain clay — a material used by Shinzan-gama Yamatsu since its founding — with bamboo, a contrasting material. By fitting a bamboo sleeve over the grooved white porcelain cup, the flexible bamboo gently embraces the vessel, softening the heat. Even when filled with a cold drink that causes condensation, the bamboo sleeve allows you to hold the cup or place it on a table with a little peace of mind.

The design of the sleeve was inspired by the delicate beauty of a chasen (tea whisk) and takesudare (bamboo screen), both remind us of a calm, cooling breeze in the heat of summer.

Their Story Behind the Product Development

For Shinzan-gama Yamatsu, creating a cup — other than a mug — that allows people to enjoy hot beverages has been a long-standing challenge.

After encountering bamboo craftsmanship, they began experimenting with cups fitted with bamboo sleeves, combining the contrasting materials of porcelain and bamboo. Believing that the bamboo sleeve would help dissipate heat, be removable, and easy to keep clean, they attempted the design numerous times. However, the project repeatedly stalled due to difficulties in achieving stable production and overcoming technical hurdles.

A fortunate connection eventually led to a collaboration with a rural village about three hours by car from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, known for its skilled bamboo crafts. For Shinzan-gama Yamatsu, this marked their first overseas production — a significant milestone in their journey

By using fast-growing bamboo, this project also contributes to addressing the issue of neglected bamboo groves.

Benefits of using bamboo products:

• Higher antibacterial and deodorizing properties compared to wood products
• Greater oxygen release and carbon dioxide absorption
• A highly renewable and sustainable resource due to its rapid growth

Through the connections built during the production of sen, Shinzan-gama Yamatsu has partnered with bamboo artisans living in rural mountain villages in Vietnam to produce the bamboo sleeves for this product.

This initiative not only supports local livelihoods by creating jobs in these rural communities, but has also inspired a sense of pride among those involved, who are pleased to contribute to Japanese crafts.

By using bamboo—a fast-growing, sustainable material—and by helping to create more employments in the local craftspeople's communities, Shinzan-gama Yamatsu is realizing a model of sustainable production.
"If everyone involved—those who make, support, sell, and buy the product—can feel happiness through this process, that is the true meaning of 'caring for happiness,' and nothing would make us happier", Tsuchimoto-san from Shinzan-gama Yamatsu shares.

We hope you enjoy a refreshing coffee break with sen, born from the encounter between passionate artisans in Vietnam and Shinzan-gama Yamatsu.