Overview Materials Return/Shipping Policy

Description:
A sleek, refined form with an emphasis on touch and elegance in hand. Versatile for beer and a range of other beverages. Made from recycled white or red clay, and available in a rustic gold glaze, a coated black semi-gloss glaze, and a semi-gloss white glaze.

Variation:
Ceramic is a natural material that will patina over time. Glazes vary from piece to piece, with no 2 pieces being exactly alike.

History:
Rooted in over 1300 years of craft, Shigaraki in Shiga Prefecture is home to one of Japan’s six ancient kilns. Since its beginnings in the Nara period, when clay was first fired into roof tiles for the imperial capital, the region has continued to shape objects with expression and purpose.

Shigaraki ware is defined by its material presence. Natural ash glaze forms in the kiln, along with fire-born coloration and textured surfaces shaped directly by flame. These effects are not applied but emerge through firing, where earth, ash, and heat complete the surface.

The clay, drawn from ancient Lake Biwa strata, is rich in mineral content and highly responsive to fire. In SSAN pieces, this material language is extended through natural glaze formation and the incorporation of carefully considered recycled elements, adding depth while remaining rooted in traditional kiln practice.

SSAN is a collaborative project between Master Potter Kimio Ogawa and Creative Direction by Takuhiro Shinomoto. Kimio Ogawa, fifth-generation head of Hissan Pottery, continues a family lineage shaped by tea ceramics and flower vases, now focused on refined tableware and a more direct, customer-oriented practice. Takuhiro Shinomoto, based in Los Angeles and founder of Tortoise General Store, has spent over two decades introducing Japanese craft to an international audience through close relationships with makers across Japan, working across tableware, furniture, and home fragrance.

Together, SSAN reflects a dialogue between inherited kiln tradition and contemporary design sensibility, grounded in Shigaraki’s natural glaze processes, fire-formed surfaces, and subtle material reuse.

Measurement:
ø 3.25 in x 4.75 in H

Materials:
Ceramic

Care Instructions:
Dishwasher safe. Microwave safe. Do not soak in water for long periods of time. Seasoning recommended but not required. Do not use in oven. Please see info from SSAN.

Returns must be made within 2 weeks in original, unused condition with all packaging for either 1. Store credit for the full amount or 2. Refund - minus a 20% restocking fee. Tortoise does not cover the cost of return shipping or the cost of re-shipping an exchange, and the cost of shipping for returns and exchanges is the responsibility of the customer.

Father's Day Gift Guide

Snow Peak Titanium Sake Bottle

Irose Accordion Pen Holder

Irose Wave Leather Tray

SSAN Beer Cup

Azumatsuru Junmai Ginjo Black

Azumatsuru Junmai Ginjo White