Originally posted on Spoon & Tamago by @Johnny_suputama).
Hiiro is a modern, ceramic water carafe made from traditional bizen-yaki. It’s the result of a joint-effort between product designer Shizuka Tatsuno and Daikura, a pottery studio specializing in bizen-yaki.
Bizen-yaki is a type of Japanese pottery that dates back to around the 14th century. It originated in Bizen province (present-day Okayama) and is often characterized by an earthen-like, reddish-brown color, and an absence of glaze.
Keeping with that tradition, product designer Shizuka Tatsuno has created a slick and elegant form, one that is uncommon for bizen-yaki, in which the cup nests perfectly on top of the carafe. And the Daikura potters execute on her designs, created beautiful works of craftsmanship.
There is an old Japanese saying that “water doesn’t go bad in bizen ware.” This probably has a lot to do with the high mineral content of the clay, which helps to purify the water and even improve the taste.
Japanese is a language that uses a lot of filler words—nanka, ano ne, uun, ano, sou des ka?, sou sou—small, highly inflected expressions that depend on context to girth their meaning. Sou sou is an expression that usually indicates recognition or validation: yes, yes. Sou Sou is a Kyoto-based textile...
I don’t know how I have never heard about this absolutely impeccable hotel chain Hoshinoya. The hotel pretty much has everything I’d ever want in my future house. No matter where you go you are surrounded by amazing craftsmanship and a perfect blend of old and new. This specific hotel...
I often wonder what differentiates Japanese crafts from the ones in China where a lot of them originated. One thing that immediately stood out is the weight of things: Chopsticks for example are much lighter weight than the ones in China or Korea and the same thing goes for Shoji....
