Ryukyu Glass Cup – Awa (Bubble Glass) in Deep Purple with Green Sea-Coil by Seiichirou Inamine (023-NJ)

① Product Description

The moment I held this cup, the word "cup" didn't even come to mind.

Hundreds of tiny bubbles suspended in deep, shifting purple. A flash of blue peeking through from within, changing with every turn of the light. A green glass coil curling around the body like something alive from the deep sea. This piece doesn't sit quietly — it pulls you in.

This is Ryukyu Glass at its most expressive — Okinawa's hand-blown glass craft, born from postwar resourcefulness and elevated into one of the island's signature traditions. Made by Seiichirou Inamine of Chūfuki Glass Kōbō Niji in Yomitan Village. The studio was founded by his father, Contemporary Master Craftsman Seikichi Inamine, who turned a supposed flaw — air bubbles in molten glass — into the defining signature of Ryukyu Glass. What others discarded as defects, he made beautiful. That's how Awa Glass (bubble glass) was born.

Seiichirou had built his own independent studio. But in 2020, he returned to take over his father's workshop — not because he was asked to, but because he didn't want to let the flame go out.

That's the lineage in your hands. Beautiful as an object on the shelf. Even more beautiful filled, on the night you choose to pour something good.

② Dimensions & Weight

• Height: 3.9 in (10 cm)
• Width / Diameter: 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
• Depth: 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
• Weight: 9.6 oz (272 g)

③ Capacity

12.2 fl oz (361 ml).

④ Materials

Hand-blown Ryukyu Glass (琉球ガラス) in the signature Awa Glass (bubble glass) technique, with hundreds of tiny air bubbles suspended in a deep purple body and a hint of blue showing from within. A green glass coil is applied to the body during blowing. Made of lead-free glass as confirmed by the artisan.

⑤ Origin

A Ryukyu Glass piece hand-blown in Yomitan Village, Okinawa, Japan by Seiichirou Inamine at Chūfuki Glass Kōbō Niji — a studio founded in 1988 by Contemporary Master Craftsman Seikichi Inamine, and now continued by his son.

⑥ Handmade Note

Each piece is one-of-a-kind. Slight variations in color, bubbles, texture, and size are a natural part of the hand-blowing process — and part of its charm.

⑦ Care Instructions

Hand wash only with mild soap and a soft cloth. Not microwave safe. Not dishwasher safe. Avoid sudden temperature changes — never pour boiling liquid or place in a freezer. Hand-blown Ryukyu Glass is more delicate than mass-produced glassware; handle with care.

⑧ Food Safe Statement

Made of lead-free glass as confirmed by the artisan. Third-party laboratory certification is in progress. This product currently includes a Prop 65 warning out of an abundance of caution while certification is pending.

⑨ Prop 65 Warning

⚠ WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

⑩ Shipping Note

Fragile item — packaged with great care to ensure safe delivery. Ships from San Francisco, CA.