Handmade Japanese tableware is among the finest available today. In this guide we explore some of the best Japanese tableware currently on offer from Gallery Sho and Rikka Knot.
An Introduction to Japanese Tableware
Renowned for its elegance and functionality, Japanese tableware bridges Japan's culinary and aesthetic cultural heritage. From delicate porcelain to rustic earthenware; fine handblown glass to durable metalwork, Japanese tableware is rooted in centuries-old traditions.
The best Japanese tableware combines supreme practicality with exquisite artistic beauty; constantly striving for the perfect balance between form and function. In the hands of Japanese artisans, handmade tableware such as bowls, plates, glasses, cups and teapots are crafted with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring they are both pleasing to the eye and comfortable and easy to use.
Beyond merely practical and aesthetic considerations, however, traditional Japanese tableware also typically embodies the Japanese spiritual and design philosophy of wabi-sabi, stressing acceptance of impermanence and imperfection.
The harmonious designs of Japanese tableware often feature motifs inspired by nature, such as cherry blossoms, flowers, bamboo, and animals; bringing a seasonal elegance to the dining table. But more abstract and/or geometrical motifs are common too.
Whether used for everyday meals or solely for special occasions, Japanese tableware enhances the presentation of food by creating a sense of harmony and appreciation for each dish. And as Japanese cuisine has gained global popularity, so too has admiration for the beautiful tableware that complements it.
In this guide to Japanese tableware, we look at a range of exemplary handmade items on offer from the artisans affiliated with two of our favorite Japanese tableware galleries, Rikka Knot and Gallery Sho. Whatever your culinary preferences, explore the timeless charm and craftsmanship of Japanese tableware and elevate your dining experience with these exceptional hand-crafted pieces.
Rikka Knot
Offering beautifully designed but supremely practical handmade goods for everyday life, Rikka Knot is both an online store and a brick-and-mortar gallery located in Kyoto’s Museum district. Representing well over 30 individual makers – each offering for sale anywhere from just a few items to over twenty at a time at any one time – the gallery also hosts regular exhibitions of ceramicists and other artisans.
Products on offer include everything from vases, teapots, sake vessels, and trays, to rice bowls, plates, cutlery, chopsticks, mugs, cups, pans, and even casseroles. Meanwhile Rikka Knot’s artisans work with a variety of materials, including glass, clay, metal, and wood. In the following section we review a handful of the best Japanese tableware items from Rikka Knot that recently caught our eye.
8 Stunning Japanese Tableware Items From Rikka Knot
For those who appreciate refined, minimal elegance, or favor a sophisticated contemporary aesthetic over classicism, this handsome drinking mug from potter Iguchi Hiroaki is an absolute must. Seen in combination with anything from a solid hardwood table to a clean-lined marble or stainless-steel countertop, Iguchi’s exquisite stoneware creates a feeling of understated modern opulence.
With this delicate piece of stemmed glassware, Ishikawa artisan Kodera Akihiro shows that utilitarian table items needn’t be boring nor lack panache. Far from it; whether it’s iced coffee, long drinks, or a simple glass of milk, this cloudy hand-blown drinking vessel adds elegance, and charm to everyday life.
03. Natsumi Mori: Iron-Dyed Dish in Walnut
Hyogo artisan Mori Natsumi employs a clever graduated iron dyeing technique to selectively stain only a portion of this walnut wood tray. A clear demonstration of how a simple but well-executed design feature can elevate an object from the ordinary to the truly exceptional. Truly stunning!
04. Naoko Shimizu: Metal Flower Pot
Undeniably simple, yet actually quite unusual, this metal flower pot from Shimizu Naoko would work just as well as a practical kitchen utensil holder. Clean and devoid of clutter, the vessel nonetheless avoids falling into the trap of thinking that understated design must necessarily be unimaginative and predictable. Instead, we are offered a high-quality metal container that is discrete yet classy.
05. Shigeru Inoue: Medium Bowl
True luxury doesn’t necessarily equal lavish maximalism nor flash showiness. And anyone who understands this will likely love the works of Inoue Shigeru. Particularly this generously-sized rice bowl. Featuring a rustic textured white glaze, and a Mishima-style crosshatched interior, this is a dish that manages to be both richly detailed and disctinctly sophisticated at the same time. You can keep your bling!
Pretty classy, these; a hand-forged dessert spoon and fork in solid brass from Tokyo-based metalworker Fujita Nagako. Fujita san wants you to make good use of the cutlery; grow into it; let it develop an antique patina. Even the discoloration adds charm. Who are we to resist?
07. Natsuki Ogura: Porcelain Teapot
This lovely white porcelain teapot manages to combine tasteful minimalism with discrete embellishment in a way that only expert Japanese artisans truly know how. Handmade in Aichi prefecture by ceramicist Ogura Natsuki, the rotund form of this wide-handled pot records some kind of fantastical gourd. While its delicate exterior pattern is reminiscent of an anemone – or some other equally charming sea creature. Romantic fantasies aside, though, this is a utensil made with practical usage in mind, and comes complete with an internal strainer. Neat!
08. Katsuya Hattori: Lidded Pitcher
Ideal for serving coffee, tea, milk or juice, this classy lidded jug was made by Kyoto potter Hattori Katsuya using a unique blend of red clay. It gains its smoky matte glaze from being fired in a wood-burning kiln, with the natural wood ash imparting its own rustic finish during the firing process. Primordial splendor!
Gallery Sho
Gallery Sho is a physical exhibition space in Hyogo prefecture specializing in hand-crafted Japanese tableware from across the archipelago. Well over twenty master artisans are represented here, covering everything from plates, bowls, tea utensils, and sake vessels to more decorative items such as flower vases and lacquerware.
When compared with Rikka Knot’s offerings, Gallery Sho leans a little less utilitarian. And if you are looking for elegant and sophisticated gifts over handsome everyday items, Gallery Sho is likely the right place to start your search.
As with Rikka Knot, though, the items on offer at Gallery Sho are highly diverse; ranging from the traditional to contemporary, and decorated in styles spanning from delicate to bold, elegant to rustic. Here we take a look at just a handful of our favorite pieces from a few of the gallery’s top artisans.
8 Stunning Japanese Tableware Items From Gallery Sho
Here at ZenMarket we’re big fans of both crackleware and drip glaze pottery, and this lovely sake bottle from Omae Satoru manages to combine the two finishes in a single item. Considering that the vessel comes in a pleasingly plump and organic-looking form, the final effect is pretty much guaranteed to delight lovers of handmade pottery and the wabi-sabi aesthetic everywhere.
Peonies, pomegranates, dragonflies, and a lone bird adorn this charming nature-themed piece from potter Sakaba Keiju. A fairly large bowl, with a confident yet restrained color palette, it is well suited to serving everything from morning fruit-and-yoghurt platters to complete Donburi-style meals.
03. Kazuo Toyomasu: Seiryo Temple Vase
Inspired by the distinctive two-tiered silhouette of Kyoto’s Sieryo-Ji temple, this contemporary Arita ware flower vase would work just as well as a novel sake or drinking-water vessel. Whatever you might choose to do with the Seiryo vase, though, its calming and grounded design makes it a great piece to have around on a daily basis. Love!
04. Akimi Ito: Kyogen Hakama Cup
Inspired by the stenciled roundels found on certain Noh theater costumes, each one of Ito Akimi’s handmade cups is slightly different in design. The artisan describes these vessels as “freestyle,” and encourages you to use them as you see fit; from tea to coffee; soda to sake. Whatever your preferred tipple, though, we’re sure you’ll agree that these are some supremely charming and elegant little cups.
On the wheel of a less sophisticated potter, the eye-catching circle design of this plate by Yanagawa Kenji could easily veer towards the trite. Not to mention create an op-art effect so boisterous as to elbow out of the way everything else on the table. Yet here the hand-painted concentric glaze strikes a satisfying balance between bold graphicism and organic delicacy. Simple yet mesmerizing.
From second generation master lacquerware artist Kado Yui come these wonderful nesting wooden bowls covered in hand-applied natural urushi lacquer. Highly skilled and laborious work, the production of true lacquerware is an ancient art that is increasingly unusual to come across today. Snap it up while you can!
07. Ikuko Ogawa: Cut Glass Serving Dish
Ogawa Ikuko’s divine flower-shaped bowl is ideal for presenting fruits, nuts, sweets, ice cream, compote, and other small snacks. A jewel of a dish!
08. Fumie Tanaka: Dragon Dish
Tokyo-born but Arita-trained, ceramicist Tanaka Fumie’s work frequently alludes to the classics while injecting a healthy shot of contemporary energy into the game. And in this diminutive dragon-themed dish, Tanaka-san’s exquisite hand painted glazes take the Arita ware tradition to new heights. Superb!
Conclusion
As we’ve just seen, the range of Japanese tableware on offer from Gallery Sho and Rikka Knot is broad and eclectic – meaning that there’s something for every taste. Not only this, but as every piece is hand made by master Japanese artisans, shopping from these two galleries guarantees exceptional quality and craftsmanship. And with the exchange rate of the Yen currently sitting very favorably against most foreign currencies, there’s never been a better time to acquire exceptional items of Japanese tableware – whether they are for your own home or to give as gifts.
If you are based outside of Japan and would like to purchase handmade tableware from Japanese artisans, simply sign up for a free ZenMarket account, and start adding high quality handcrafted pieces to your shopping cart right away!
For more detailed instructions about ordering from Japanese vendors via ZenMarket, take a look at this helpful tutorial. And for in-depth guides about specific Japanese crafts such as pottery, miniatures, and kintsugi, be sure to check out the ZenMarket blog; a wealth of knowledge regarding Japanese crafts and traditions.