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Tag: Japanese Restaurant

A Unique Donburi Experience in Toki — and My Favorite Seafood Bowl

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Hello from Eri at Miyake Ceramics!

Toki City in Gifu, where Miyake Ceramics is based, is home to a very unique roadside station called Donburi Kaikan — or “The Donburi Bowl Hall.”

As the name suggests, the roof is shaped like an upside-down donburi bowl, making it an eye-catching landmark you can spot from afar!

👉 Official Website (Japanese)

This facility celebrates Mino ware culture, with local pottery displays, a shop, and even a hands-on pottery experience(¥2,500, reservation recommended).

Imagine making your own donburi bowl — and using it at home. Now that’s a special souvenir! ✨

Another fun feature?

They sell soft-serve ice cream served in charming donburi-style bowls — and yes, you get to take the bowl home after eating. 🍦

If you’re visiting Toki, it’s definitely worth including Donburi Kaikan in your itinerary as part of your “Mino ware experience.”

Now, speaking of donburi…

For lunch today, I had a seafood rice bowl topped with three kinds of fish, all marinated in wasabi shio-koji (a savory fermented rice seasoning). 🐟

Just look at that glossy finish — so fresh and flavorful!

In Japan, donburi (rice bowls) are a beloved part of our food culture.

From gyudon (beef bowl) and katsudon (pork cutlet bowl), to oyakodon (chicken & egg) and tendon (tempura bowl) — the variety is endless.

But if I had to choose? Kaisendon — seafood donburi — is my absolute favorite. 💕

At Miyake Ceramics, we offer a wide selection of donburi bowls in different sizes and styles — from simple, rustic designs to elegant contemporary forms.

Choosing the right bowl for each dish adds joy to the dining experience.

And when you serve your meal in a beautifully crafted Mino ware donburi, it turns an ordinary lunch into something a little more special. 🍚✨

Prefer to read in Japanese?

→ 日本語の記事はこちらからどうぞ。

Celebrate Tanabata with Mino Ware: Stars, Wishes, and Summer Flavors

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Hello, this is Eri.

July 7th marks Tanabata, a traditional Japanese festival.

It is inspired by a romantic legend where Orihime and Hikoboshi, two lovers separated by the Milky Way, are allowed to meet only once a year—on this special night.

On Tanabata, people write wishes on colorful paper strips and hang them on bamboo branches. Star-themed decorations also add a festive touch to the celebration.

This occasion also brings seasonal charm to the dining table.

A popular Tanabata dish is somen noodles, arranged to resemble the Milky Way.

These smooth, chilled noodles are perfect for Japan’s humid summer and provide a refreshingly cool treat.

You can garnish the plate with star-shaped carrots or cucumber slices cut like bamboo leaves for a touch of summer flair.

At Miyake Ceramics, we offer tableware that complements the Tanabata season beautifully.

Our star-shaped small bowls are ideal for holding condiments like chopped myoga, ginger, or shiso leaves.

Leaf-shaped plates inspired by bamboo are perfect for serving small appetizers or traditional sweets.

The soba cups with bamboo designs are great for dipping sauce, and the bamboo-leaf chopstick rests subtly add a seasonal accent to the setting.

By reflecting the season in your choice of tableware, your everyday meals can feel a little more special.

Why not celebrate Tanabata night with elegant, refreshing dishes that embrace the spirit of the season?

Prefer to read in Japanese?

→ 日本語の記事はこちらからどうぞ。

Savor the Season: Chilled Potato Soup in Artisan-Made Mino Ware

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Though June is typically known as the rainy season in Japan, here in Toki City, Gifu, the summer heat has already arrived. With the sun blazing outside, we often find ourselves craving something cool and refreshing — especially during lunch.

One of my favorite seasonal dishes is a chilled Potato soup. Naturally sweet and smooth, it gently comforts the body and refreshes the spirit — a perfect remedy for hot and humid days.

To enhance the experience, I served it in carefully crafted Mino ware bowls.

The white bowl features a soft, matte texture that feels natural and calming in the hand.

The black bowl, with its quiet elegance, beautifully offsets the pale color of the soup, adding visual harmony to the table.

In Japanese culture, we often say that presentation is part of the flavor.

Thoughtfully chosen tableware doesn’t just hold the food — it tells a story, reflects the season, and shows care for the person who enjoys it.

Why not embrace the summer heat the Japanese way — with a simple, comforting soup, presented in cool, artisan-crafted Mino ware that brings together tradition, design, and functionality?

Let your customers experience the quiet luxury of Japanese hospitality — one bowl at a time.

Prefer to read in Japanese?

→ 日本語の記事はこちらからどうぞ。

Silver Bowls, Sweet Moments

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Hi, this is Eri!

Recently, a friend of mine visited from Tokyo, and as always, we took the chance to explore another charming café together — this time in the town of Tajimi.

One of our favorite things to do when she comes to Gifu is go café-hopping, and this spot is known for its seasonal fruit kakigori (shaved ice desserts).

This time, we ordered the Fresh Strawberry Kakigori.

It came beautifully topped with vibrant red strawberries, a generous layer of yogurt cream, and even a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The most memorable part? The silver bowl it was served in.

Cool to the touch and stunning in its simplicity, the silverware added a unique sense of occasion — turning each spoonful into a refreshing and luxurious experience.

We also enjoyed a hearty lunch set featuring honey mustard chicken, which was as flavorful as it was satisfying!

As the seasons change, I’m already looking forward to coming back to discover new flavors.

Last time we visited, I tried their pineapple and peach kakigori — here are some photos I’d love to share with you:

🍍 Pineapple Kakigori　
Juicy, sweet, and light — like capturing a taste of summer in a bowl.

🍑 Peach Kakigori
Delicately sweet with a creamy yogurt topping that balances the flavor beautifully.

While this café didn’t use Mino ware this time, I couldn’t help but notice how much the right tableware enhances the experience of even a simple dessert.

Whether it’s ceramic, glass, or metal — the feel of the material in your hands can leave a lasting impression.

Hope this inspires you to enjoy more fruit-filled summer moments, wherever you are!

Prefer to read in Japanese?

→ 日本語の記事はこちらからどうぞ。

The Making of Mino Ware: From Clay to Everyday Use

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Hi, this is Eri.

In my last blog post, I shared a bit about the origin of Mino ware and how it all begins with the clay.

This time, I’d like to continue that story by introducing how that soft clay is shaped into something we can actually use—a finished bowl, plate, or cup.

Pottery starts with kneading the clay.

Water is added, the air is removed, and the clay is smoothed out by hand until it has a soft, pliable texture. At this stage, the clay is still very tender and unpredictable—almost like a living thing.

Then, using a potter’s wheel or a mold, the clay is shaped into form.

This part of the process is called “forming.” If you watch closely, you’ll see how the clay seems to gently follow the potter’s hands, gradually transforming into a vessel.

But even after the shape is made, you can’t just pop it into the kiln.

It needs to dry slowly in a well-ventilated space. Once the moisture has evaporated, it goes through a first firing called “bisque firing.”

Only after that does it start to resemble something closer to tableware.

Next, the piece is coated in a liquid glaze.

This glaze—sometimes milky, sometimes glossy—is applied carefully over the surface. At this point, the piece still looks dull and its final look is hard to imagine.

Then comes the “main firing,” or hon-yaki.

At over 1,200°C, the clay hardens, and the glaze reveals its color and texture.

For pottery like Mino ware, this is when it becomes truly strong and beautiful—ready to be used, held, and cherished.

From a simple piece of clay, shaped and refined again and again by the hands of a craftsman, the vessel finally reaches the table.

And from there, it finds its way into someone’s life.

When I think of that journey, I realize a bowl is more than just an object.

Oh! One more thing—if you ever visit Toki City in Gifu, there’s a place called Donburi Kaikan where you can try making your own pottery on a wheel. When friends come from Tokyo or overseas, they always ask to go, and I’ve taken part a few times too.

It’s such a fun experience—watching that spinning clay take shape under your fingers is oddly addictive. I totally recommend it!

Prefer to read in Japanese?

→ 日本語の記事はこちらからどうぞ。

New Blog Author at Miyake Ceramics!

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Hello, and thank you for visiting.

My name is Eri, and I’m happy to share that I’ll be managing the official blog for Miyake Ceramics Co., Ltd.

Through this blog, I’ll be writing about our products, the beauty of Mino ware, and the charm of Japanese tableware and seasonal traditions — from here in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, where our company is based.

We’ll be writing in English so that people around the world can enjoy and connect with Japanese ceramics and culture.

I’m looking forward to sharing more with you — thank you again for reading, and I hope you’ll stop by often.

Prefer to read in Japanese?
→ 日本語の記事はこちらからどうぞ。

HOFEX 2017

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We have participated HOFEX 2017, which is one of the largest hotels and restaurants trade show in Hong Kong.

This year, we have arranged our booth with Noritake and Luzerne, sponsored by NIJI CONCEPT.

Our Japanese tableware was colourful and gorgeous to catch visitors’ eyes, and we have received great reputation and feedback throughout the show.

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Plate Arrangement Shooting at Kifune

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Kifune –  Oroshi, Toki-City, Gifu-Pref., Japan.
The Chef Ito practiced at Tsukiji Sushiko in Tokyo, that is one of the most popular Sushi restaurants, and opened Kifune more than 20 years ago. In the “NO-SEA Prefecture”, GIFU, he carefully selects seafoods at fish markets in Nagoya area according to the customers’ preferences and requests. His cooks ingredients in season with simple and authentic decoration.
Even fishermen and fish dealers admire Chef Ito’s dish.

We have visited him for photo shooting of our new collections, and Mast Ito generously worked with us.
The tableware on the pictures;
C-3055: Mokume Plate Large (Black) with kudzu (Japanese arrowroot) cake and strawberry.
C-3117: Green Rock Face Plate with Nigiri Sushi / Flatfish Sashimi.
C-3020: Gold Kessho Leaf Bowl with Tatami Iwashi and Grilled Fish / Boiled King Crab.
C-3054: Green Leaf Plate Large with Sashimi Platter.
G-0064: Blue Ito Sake Bottle and Cup
C-1483: Gold Uzumaki Plate with Raw Oysters.
C-3050: Arita Cocoon Teapot and Cup

Other items on the pictures are also available at Miyake Ceramics.
We hope you got some idea of how to decorate Japanese plates.

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