This is a set of five teacups for iced tea from the Taisho Roman glass series by Hirota Glass, a long-established glass manufacturer in Tokyo.

This pattern is created not by painting or pigments, but by the aburidashi (invisible ink) technique, which uses specially blended glass materials to create an opalescent, milky-white pattern by the sudden temperature difference when molten glass comes into contact with a mold with a precisely engraved pattern.

The set includes five traditional patterns: ichimatsu (checkerboard), tokusa (horsetail) stripe, seigaiha (waves), tsunagi-koushi (lattice) and polka-dot.

All five types of teacups are packaged in a single decorative box, making this an ideal gift. It is also recommended for those who want to put them away for the season, as they can be stored neatly together.

For guests, use coasters and saucers together to create a more sophisticated atmosphere.

In addition to cold tea, it can also be used to serve water, cold sake, umeshu (plum wine), and other drinks and alcoholic beverages, or as a small bowl to hold side dishes and other items.

Hirota Glass is one of the oldest glass makers in Tokyo, founded in 1899. Based on the data of designs handed down to the company since its foundation, Hirota Glass has continued to produce a series of products that harmonize with contemporary home décor, while inheriting the traditional techniques of Japanese glassblowing and Edo Kiriko.