FAQ
Q1) Why do Japanese tea sets come with sets of 5 cups?
A1) In Japanese the number 4 is synonymous with the word for "death". So a gift set with four plates, or a tea set with four cups, symbolising death, may not give the best impression when you hand it over to your Mother-in-Law. In general odd numbers are luckier than even numbers, and even numbered sets are considered bad luck to give as gifts to couples. If a set cannot be evenly split, the couple will also not split (obviously if you were thinking of divorce, you wouldn't go ahead if it would mean unevenly splitting up your 5 cup tea set).

Q2) Are your ceramics dishwasher & microwave safe?
A2) None of our ceramic pieces are "certified" dishwasher safe nor microwave safe. However, we are assured by our manufacturers that they are. I have been putting ours through the dishwasher and using them in the microwave for over 8 years now without any problems. If you ever have a customer who says they had a problem, please let us know. We haven't had any complaints yet.
Please note, we do have some designs in the individual tea cup range that have gold petals in the design. Do not place these in the microwave (microwaved tea tastes awful anyway!).

Q3) How do you attach the bamboo or bamboo-look handles to the teapot?
A3) Bamboo handles are not attached to the teapot when shipped. Thread the wire ends of the handle through the ceramic loops on the top of the teapot. Thread from the inside towards the outside, then simply bend the ends upwards.

Q4) Can you wash the washi-paper canisters?
A4) Washi-paper canisters are steel canisters hand-wrapped in Japanese chiyogami paper. The paper is very resiliant and will take a lot of wear and tear from every day handling. However, it is still paper, so you can't wash the canisters up in the sink. Please only store dry products (like tea!) in the tins as the steel will rust if left wet. If your can does get dirty or dusty you can wipe it gently with a lightly dampened cloth. Make sure you dry the can thoroughly if it gets wet on the inside.