Cozy Stoneware to Make Your Winter Warm and Bright

When the weather gets cold, there’s nothing better than a hot drink or soup to warm you right up. But in the chilly air, meals and beverages go cold quickly without a container robust and insulated enough to help them retain their heat.

Japanese stoneware is just the thing. Made of relatively thick ceramic, stoneware is great for keeping its contents hot for longer without burning your hands. This kind of pottery has been produced in Japan since the fifth century AD, and there’s a reason it’s still in use after over 1,500 years.

Depending on the glaze and finish, many stoneware pieces also retain a nurturing, earthy quality after they’re fired, allowing you to feel the local clay from which they were made. Regional clays and techniques contribute to each item’s individual textures—especially speckles and ridges that naturally appear in the clay itself or in the molding or firing processes—giving you the sense that you are touching the very soil of Japan.

So take a look below to see our recommendations for the best stoneware mugs, carafes, and bowls to pair with hot food and drinks. It’s time for a cozy winter—from our artisans’ hands, to yours.

Hot tea is nourishing for both soul and body, said to aid digestion and, in the case of some teas, relieve stress. Lift your spirits even further with the Hokusai Wave Yunomi Japanese Teacup. Featuring the famous Great Wave, the teacup’s design brings a timeless Japanese aesthetic. The thick walls, sturdy shape, and slightly wavy rim feel comforting to both the hands and the lips with each sip.

For something that feels even more unerringly earthy, try the Goma Yunomi Japanese Teacup Pair. Toasty patterns in warm browns dance across the surface, patterns in ash giving it an earthy quality, almost as if you held the embers of a campfire in the palm of your hand. Made of Bizen ware, this clay is known for its natural properties that mellow the flavor of green tea, making each cup even more delicious. Coming in an elegant wooden box, it also makes a wonderful gift, for when it’s the joyful company that brings true contentment to a winter evening.

If you prefer something a bit sweeter, our sturdy stoneware mugs are perfect for hot chocolate. They pair well with a beverage that captures the quintessential winter feeling of coming inside from the snow and being served a treat hot off the stove.

So recapture that playful innocence with the Animals in Sunny Spot Round Mug’s adorable Shiba Inu design. The hand-painted motif of Shibas snuggled up together will delight dog lovers. As you gently inhale the fragrance of hot chocolate, you will feel a similar comfort as you would cuddling a beloved pet—only without the stray fur.

Another down-to-earth option is the Brown Water Plant Mug, part of a popular nature-inspired series by Musashi Kiln. Hand-painted green patterns and textural marks from the potter’s wheel reveal the artisan behind the piece and make each mug one-of-a-kind. Holding a generous 350 ml (11.9 fl oz), you won’t have to get up too often from the cozy blanket nest on your couch to get refills.

Hot sake, also known as okan, is a beverage that heats you right up from the very first swallow. Sake is a delicate drink whose flavor changes subtly depending on its temperature, so there’s much to explore with it in the cooler months.

How to heat sake? A sake warmer like the Black Crystalline Glaze Sake Warmer offers an ingenious solution.

Here’s how it works. Heat water in a kettle, then pour the heated water into the outer pot. Add sake to the inner carafe, gently lower it into the outer pot, and put on the lid. After two to four minutes (a longer time leads to a hotter beverage), the sake will be just the right temperature. Remove the inner carafe, and serve!

This sake warmer has a rustic yet refined earthy texture that enhances the charm of the stoneware. The traditional design makes it feel like bringing the steam of an izakaya into your own home.

Another ideal companion for hot sake that lets you enjoy the raw and earthy textures and hues of stoneware is the Sangiri Sake Set. 

The coarse, unglazed texture of Bizen ware feels grounding in your hands. The microscopic pores in the clay work their magic on the sake, softening its flavors and enhancing its aroma, making even a simple pour feel exceptional.

Stew and hot pot sit warmly in the belly on a chilly day, providing both nutrition and comfort. And Japanese food culture knows how to deliver, with bubbling nabe, or stewed dishes. Made in hefty donabe clay pots that are crafted to increase the umami latent in the stew’s ingredients, Japanese stews are both hearty and homey.

When it comes to bowls for nabe, soups, or stews, we recommend the Summum Medium Bowl. Its bright turquoise color and pooling glaze recall crystal-clear waters, taking you to tropical paradise even on cold days.

Another great choice for color-lovers is the Flamenco Modern Kobachi Small Bowl. With a 12.3 cm (4.8-in) diameter, it’s perfect for slightly smaller servings such as soups accompanying a main dish. The stunning yellow is gorgeous against the red of tomato or minestrone, and adds a vibrant pop to an earthy-toned soup like chicken noodle or French onion. As you cradle the bowl in your palms, you can imagine where the potter’s hands formed the shape with grace and care.

For large servings of steaming hot, brothy noodles—whether ramen, udon, or soba—nothing is better than a voluminous Japanese donburi bowl. When you want an entire meal in one bowl, here are two of our favorites.

The Stripe Pattern Ramen Bowl 7.7 in features hand-brushed, vertical stripes in a soft green, contrasted against a cream-colored clay body. Delicate pink spots that emerge during firing make each bowl unique—part of the beauty of this material. The bowl serves a generous portion of noodles but is almost shockingly light for its size, so it is easy to pick up, sip from, and wash when you’re done.

Last in this selection but certainly not least is the Akae Arabesque Pattern Medium Bowl, a beautiful stoneware piece with a hand-painted design of curving red and green vines on a cream background. Sized for both serving and for generous noodle portions, this bowl will keep you and your meal hot throughout the cooler months.

So discover all the joys and comforts that stoneware tableware has to offer this winter season. Pick your favorite, stay warm, and get cozy!