Of course it is impossible to tell that this water tumbler, with its concave ridges that tighten the light into an art -deco-esque scream sits on a cafe table in Takayama, where Julie London sings ' Cry Me a River'. Outside  the morning does its best to shake off first light's cold minus ten degrees C, and of course, here the glass does its best to concentrate sunlight into something that looks, well if not warm, then at least luke cold.