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Made in Japan – handmade Japanese ceramic tableware
History of the Made in Japan brand
Made in Japan (MIJ) was founded by Peter Longmore who went on his first journey to Japan over 35 years ago and who couldn’t resist the charm of traditional Japanese tableware. He decided to bring the plates and bowls handcrafted in family-run kilns from Japan to Australia, Melbourne, where MIJ is based. This ceramic tableware by Made in Japan brings with itself the spirit of traditional Japanese craftsmanship; all pieces are still handmade in Japan.
MIJ – mission
The mission of Made in Japan is to bring joy to the dining table, to make having a meal a holistic experience in which people, the atmosphere, music, talking, laughing, table setting and the tableware help you to experience the "here and now" – the taste of food and the taste of life. They also believe that the well-known adage among chefs "You eat with your eyes first" does not refer only to the way the food looks but also to the dinnerware you serve it on. Tasty soup served in a handmade asian-style bowl, noodles served on a beautiful handmade plate, can double the pleasure and enhance the taste of food.
The products, collections and their quality
Most Made in Japan products are sourced from small, family-run kilns in Gifu on the central island of Honshu with the rest coming from other parts of Japan. The majority of clay which is used in the production process and which is obviously the basic ingredient comes from Gifu on the central island of Honshu. The colours of the glaze have been developed and refined over the years, their tones are created with various powder dyes coming from natural resources and mixed together in different local kilns – with every collection coming from a different kiln found all over Japan.
Made in Japan offers many collections with different feels, colours and finishes and each series include plates and bowls in different shapes and sizes, large serving bowls and small sauce or snack bowls.
The products are carefully handmade by the artisans who are born and trained in Japan and are often the sons who have learnt from their fathers. They do it in a traditional manner with the skills, love and attention to detail passed on for ages. The tableware by Made in Japan is dishwasher and microwave safe and is resistant to long-term use. It looks great even after years of everyday use and that’s why all restaurant owners love it!
The most popular MIJ collections are:
- Aurora
- Black Pearl
- Copper Swirl
- Earth & Sky
- BB Black
- Indigo Blue
Where can you find Made in Japan products and why are they so popular?
Made in Japan dinnerware is loved by all real foodies, restaurant chefs and great design lovers. Their shiny glazes, natural colours, nice-to-touch structures and original designs make them a pleasure to look at, bringing all dishes to a higher level. That’s why you can find MIJ dishes in the best restaurants and hotels all over the world. The plates and bowls are also used by well-known chefs at home who along with the best culinary bloggers, show off their food and the plates, posting photos of their recipes served on Made in Japan ceramics on social media.