It can be a dull 3 minutes waiting for your tea to steep. But not anymore, thanks to the shirokuma tea bag holder. The porcelain mug lid not only keeps your tea warm but it’s also adorned with an adorable polar bear (shirokuma, in Japanese) who sits patiently with a fishing pole waiting for something to bite.
Appearing like it’s fishing for your tea bag, the shirokuma tea bag holder was designed to make waiting time a bit more fun. But it’s also subtly a contrarian position against coffee culture, which seems to be getting all the attention these days says designer Takeo Chiboshi. I wanted to create a product for tea drinkers, said Chiboshi, who, based on his portfolio, is probably an avid tea drinker.
Unfortunately, the shirokuma tea bag holders, which are made by hand in Hasami, Nagasaki, are completely sold out for 2014 and early 2015. Chiboshi is working with the artisans to bring more supply to market. If you’re interested you can follow their facebook page to keep up with news. Oh, and mugs aren’t included.
