ProvenanceThis tea set belonged to the donor's late wife, who migrated to Australia around 1970. She brought it to Australia with her frim Akita, her hometown in Japan. She would often perform tea ceremonies in Australia after her migration. This set was most likely originally owned by the donor's maternal grandmother.
Japanese tea ceremonies involve the ceremonial preparation and presentation of tea. The ceremonies would involve the use of special tea equipment. This set of five tea cups were used to drink tea, served on the lid of the case, acting as a tray.SignificanceRepresentative of migrants continuing cultural practice from their country of origin in South Australia. A special family memento used in Japanese tea ceremonies.DescriptionCherrywood box is round with smooth edges. There is a small circle divot on the centre of the bottom. The cherrywood lid is round with smooth edges. There are round heat marks on the inside, from when it was used as a tray to serve the cups. The five tea cups are cream ceramic with green outer edges and a gold strip running around the base.Creator (person)UnknownCreator (organisation)AcknowledgementDate of CreationBetween 1st January 1915 and 31st December 1925Date of UsageBetween 1st January 1915 and 31st December 1990Accession NumberHT 2016.0299 a-g