This is probably my new favorite tea toy. I have been dreaming of a gaiwan tea set for a while, something about the allure of extremely tiny cups that match not only each other but the gaiwan and cha hai just sounded so appealing to me. I had also been coveting a travel set for when I visit my mom back in PA, so logically I put my desire for both together and decided on this beauty…because it is covered in fish.
Yes I have a mild obsession with aquatic themes. First off the printing on the set is spot on, no blurring or smudges. True, having this set be hand painted would have been amazing, but it would have also been more expensive…I am not such a snob that I turn my nose up at printed designs on my teaware. I really like how everything has two fish, in the photo it looked like the cups might alternate between the black and orange carp, but each cup has both.
The gaiwan pours nicely and the lid is well balanced without creating too much of a seal. I am not a fan of gaiwan lids that fit perfectly flush on the gaiwan, I find it makes it a real pain to pour.
My favorite thing about this set is it is so tiny! The pouch is probably smaller than my camera so it will be so convenient for travel. Everything fits very snugly and safely inside so no worries about breaking.