Water. The stuff of life.

There really is nothing like a cup of fresh water (except maybe that first beer after a hard days diving).

This is one of a pair of Bizen-yaki cups. I also have a single stem vase. Bizen is one of the canon of pottery traditions in Japan and is a small village in Okayama prefecture. The pottery they make is pretty unique. It's unglazed, and the coloration and patterning is achieved by the addition of metals or wrapping the pots in leaves. You never know what may come out if the kiln.

Being unglazed means that they are slightly porous. Not so much that the liquid oozes out the sides, but put a rose in the vase, and the water within gets constantly re-oxygenated, making the flower last longer. Water always tastes fresher drunk from such a cup.

I love these cups, and one day will find the just-right Bizen-yaki teapot to go with them