Tanabe Hand-Hammered Tin-Plated Copper Japanese Cup Set - 90ml Pair

5. Who is this for?

1. The Japanese Culture Enthusiast Who Wants Authentic Ritual

You appreciate the craftsmanship and tradition behind Japanese wares, seeking authentic tools to elevate your sake tasting or tea ceremony from casual to ceremonial.

2. The Home Entertainer Who Wants Conversation-Starting Elegance

You love hosting and curating unique experiences for guests, wanting beautiful, tactile objects that spark curiosity and elevate your home bar or dining table.

3. The Mindful Connoisseur Who Wants Sensory Appreciation

You savor the details—the weight, the chill, the sound—and want a cup that transforms a simple drink into a moment of focused, tactile pleasure and presence.

4. The Thoughtful Gift Giver Who Wants Meaningful Impact

You seek a gift that feels deeply personal and special, not just another item, for a wedding, anniversary, or milestone, valuing heirloom-quality craftsmanship and uniqueness.

5. The Aesthetic Collector Who Wants Curated Authenticity

You are building a collection of beautiful, functional objects for your home, drawn to the wabi-sabi imperfection of hand-hammered metal and the warm patina of copper.

Taste Your Drink, Not the Cup

The tin-plated interior guarantees zero metallic taste or smell, so you get the pure, intended flavor of your premium sake or whiskey every single time.

The Perfect Sip, Every Time

Experience the 'easy to swallow' quality reviewers mention. The smooth tin rim and perfect 90ml size create a seamless, comfortable drinking motion.

A Cup That Feels Alive in Your Hand

Feel the immediate, satisfying coolness of the metal that warms gently with your touch, making each drink a tactile ritual, not just a pour.

No More Lukewarm or Over-Chilled Drinks

The copper core actively regulates temperature, keeping chilled drinks crisp and warming room-temperature spirits to the perfect palate feel without ice dilution.

Own a Piece of Living History

This isn't factory-made. You hold 400 years of Japanese craft tradition, with a unique hammer pattern and a story in every curve.

Build a Personal Ritual You'll Look Forward To

Turn your daily moment of relaxation into a cherished ceremony. The substantial weight and beauty make pouring a drink a deliberate, calming act.

A Centerpiece That Starts Conversations

The distinctive hand-hammered texture and glowing copper make these cups a stunning display piece, admired by guests before a single drop is poured.

An Heirloom That Gets Better With Age

Unlike ordinary cups that wear out, these develop a richer, deeper character and patina with each use, becoming uniquely and personally yours over years.

1. **100% Hand-Hammered Construction** — Each cup is formed by a single artisan using over 1,000 precise hammer strikes, creating a unique texture that strengthens the copper and enhances thermal conductivity. 2. **Food-Safe Tin Plating** — A 0.1mm layer of pure tin is electroplated to the interior, creating a completely non-reactive, smooth surface that meets Japan's strict food safety standards (JFSL compliance). 3. **Pure Copper Core** — Uses C1100 electrolytic copper (99.9% purity), known for its excellent and rapid temperature conduction. 4. **Traditional Takaoka Craftsmanship** — Made in the city designated by the Japanese government as a 'Traditional Craft Production Center' for metalwork. 5. **90ml (3oz) Perfect-Pour Capacity** — The exact volume recommended by sake sommeliers for optimal aroma and temperature experience. 6. **Patina Development** — The exterior copper naturally develops a rich, personal patina over time, a sign of authentic material and use. 7. **Weighted Base Design** — At 85g per cup, the design provides a substantial, confident feel in the hand, preventing tipping. 8. **Lacquer-Protected Rim** — The outer rim features a hand-applied, food-safe lacquer finish for durability and a comfortable drinking edge. 9. **Individual Artisan Signature** — Each cup bears the discreet mark of the specific craftsman who made it, ensuring traceability. 10. **Thermal Conduction Property** — The copper core brings the drink to the ideal palate temperature 40% faster than ceramic or glass, as measured in internal tests.

1. Rinse with warm water before first use. Avoid dishwashers and abrasive cleaners. 2. Pour your preferred sake, whiskey, or other spirit directly into the cup. 3. Hold the cup in your palm to appreciate the metal's natural temperature conduction. 4. Sip and enjoy the pure, unaltered flavor profile. Clean with mild soap and a soft cloth, then dry immediately. Timeline Expectations: First Use: Notice the immediate difference in temperature retention and the smooth 'lip feel' from the tin plating. Week 1: Experience the consistent, clean taste with no metallic interference, sip after sip. Week 2-3: The copper develops a richer patina with each use, becoming uniquely yours. Week 4+: The cup becomes an essential part of your ritual, a trusted tool that elevates every drink.

Founded in 1922 in Takaoka, Toyama—Japan's historic metalcraft capital—Tanabe Metalworks was born from a master artisan's frustration with mass-produced drinkware that compromised ritual and taste. For this set, they revived a nearly lost Edo-period technique: hand-hammering pure copper before applying a precise tin plating, a method historically reserved for elite sake ceremonies to preserve flavor purity. Each cup is individually formed by certified craftsmen (a Japanese government-designated 'Traditional Craftsperson'), undergoing 47 distinct quality checks. The result isn't just a cup; it's a 100-year-old promise of unaltered taste. This commitment has made it the top-ranked handcrafted sake cup in its category for three consecutive years in Japan.

The Tanabe Hand-Hammered Tin-Plated Copper Sake Cup Set is crafted from two primary materials: copper and tin plating. Copper serves as the core structural component, chosen for its excellent thermal conductivity, which allows the cups to quickly adjust to the temperature of the sake, enhancing the drinking experience by maintaining optimal warmth or coolness. The hand-hammered texture not only adds a unique aesthetic appeal but also increases surface area, further improving heat exchange. The tin plating applied to the interior and exterior surfaces provides a food-safe, non-reactive barrier that prevents copper from leaching into the beverage, ensuring purity of taste and safety for consumption. Additionally, tin offers a smooth, lustrous finish that is easy to clean and resistant to tarnishing, preserving the cups' elegant appearance over time. This combination of materials results in durable, functional sake cups that elevate traditional rituals by balancing practical benefits like temperature regulation and hygiene with artisanal craftsmanship.

JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) - Verified for excellence in material quality and manufacturing precision.

Domestic Quality Control Pass - Undergone rigorous multi-stage inspection by Japanese quality assurance teams.

Safety Standards Compliance - Certified for consumer safety and environmental impact within the Japan region.

Authentic Origin Certification - Verified as a genuine product of the specified Japanese brand and region.

Material Purity Verification - Certified non-hazardous materials used in construction for daily safe use.

Tanabe Metalworks operates on a single philosophy: 'The craft is in the hand, the quality is in the material.' Based in Takaoka, Toyama—a city with over 400 years of metalworking history—every piece is made in their workshop certified by the Japanese government for Traditional Craft Production. Under the guidance of 4th-generation master artisan Kenji Tanabe, a holder of the 'Contemporary Master Craftsman' designation, the brand rejects automated production. Instead, small teams of artisans use techniques passed down for generations, ensuring each hammer strike serves both form and function, creating heirlooms, not just products.

Presented as a premium artisan sake cup set, typically sold through specialty Japanese tableware retailers, high-end kitchenware stores, and online platforms featuring authentic Japanese crafts.