Ceramics Blog

Adding traditional and unique Japanese ceramics to our collection has long been one of our main objectives, and thanks to Asemi Co. we are now offering  beautiful and unique pottery cups. Traditionally, Japanese ceramics have their roots in China and Korea, but have established their own style and history across the Japanese islands. In ancient times, a thriving pottery industry was the sign of wealth and prosperity and regional lords often invited potters from different countries to start a kiln in their city. A majority of the pottery that Asemi Co. offers dates back almost 400 years, and due to the regional variety of the ceramics their history and availability is incredibly distinctive. Today we will be highlighting three of Asemi Co. most exquisite and best-selling ceramic cups, all of which are now available on our site.

Hailing from the island of Kyushu, we start off with the porcelain-rooted Hasami-yaki ware. Brought to Japan over 400 years ago by the feudal lord of the Omura Clan Yoshiaki Omura, this historic and gorgeous style of pottery is carried on by Hasami’s very own Haruho Baba. The town of Hasami, Nagasaki is known for its efficient production method, with various craftsmen in the village being assigned a specific role in the artisanal assembly line.

Next up we have the Iga-yaki style from the Mie Prefecture. Due to the high quality of its three-million-year-old clay Iga-yaki  is mostly known for tableware such as earthen pots for everyday use. Tatsuro Seki, the man in charge of creating this unbelievable style of ash glaze pottery has won numerous awards and perfected the digging techniques required to locate the preferred clay that is required to create these stunning ceramic cups.

Last but not least is the Koishiwara-yaki style. Created in the Fukuoka Prefecture, this style of pottery dates back to the 17^th century and was the first ceramic style to be designated a “Traditional Craft Product” in Japan. Yusuke Kumagae, Asemi’s Koishiwara-yaki artisan creates the glaze for his pottery using rice straw ash and iron powder, resulting in a beautiful metallic look.

Asemi Co. is the brainchild of designers and long-time friends Yuki and Lars, who met at the Folkwang University of Arts in Germany. There they discovered many mutual interests and promised each other one day they would start a business together. Their critical attitude towards the industry and passion for craftsmanship led to the establishment of Asemi Co.