Nov 2, 2022

An Autumn Excursion with Japanese Tableware

Written by Team MUSUBI

The cool autumn breeze is pleasant. On a fine day, MUSUBI KILN staff went to a temple near our office that is famous for its autumn leaves. We enjoyed a short picnic with Japanese tableware perfect for outdoor use. In this issue, we would like to share with you how we used each item.

We’ll be introducing three types of items: "Gugumini," "Matcha items for Nodate," and "Bento items".

tables of contents

Wooden Guinomi cups that are convenient for carrying around Simple with attention to detail Easy to use and easy to put away Try "Nodate" with a authentic matcha bowl, it's easier than you think! Enjoy yourself freely without being bound by etiquette Items that harmonize with the natural scenery Wisdom from the past, the appeal of the Bento Box As delicious to the eye as it is to the palate Add a touch of color with small Bento items

Wooden Guinomi cups that are convenient for carrying around

Even if you want to drink in a nice atmosphere outside, it is a bit difficult to take out a sake cup made of ceramics or glass. They are heavy and there are concerns that they might break, and most people probably only use them at home.

Enjoying sake outdoors in a warm and cozy atmosphere can be fun, but packing sake cups made out of porcelain or glass can be a hassle.

Simple with attention to detail

Light and durable, Yamanaka lacquerware wooden sake cups are perfectly suited for outside use. The set includes two sake cups of different sizes that can be stacked for convenient storage. The artisan-crafted shape is thin and the smooth wood surface is pleasant to the palate and relaxing. The lid can also be used as a plate, so you can place a small snack on it.

It is a convenient and sophisticated design that creates a quality drinking experience both inside and outside the home.

Easy to use and easy to put away

This Guinomi sake cup set also comes with a lid and pouch for storage, so you can take it home easily by just closing the lid and putting it in the pouch when you are done drinking. The ease with which you can quickly take it out and put it away makes it perfect for outdoor use. It is packed with reasons to make both you and the person you are drinking with happy.

Try "Nodate" with a authentic matcha bowl, it's easier than you think!

"Nodate" is the practice of preparing and enjoying matcha outdoors. Nodate is a way of enjoying matcha that has been gaining attention in recent years, with outdoor brands offering special nodate kits. Nodate simply means to drink matcha green tea outdoors, not in a tea ceremony room. Compared to a tea ceremony in a tea ceremony room with many rules regarding etiquette, Nodate seems a bit more casual and fun. That is the image that comes to mind.

So, all the staff members were excited to try Nodate. We brought the following four matcha utensils.

Enjoy yourself freely without being bound by etiquette

As for matcha green tea utensils, the chasen is a difficult item to replace as its function is quite unique, but other items can be substituted with other utensils. The key to choosing the right utensils for nodate is to make sure they are compact, easy to carry, and sturdy. For this excursion, we chose a matcha bowl with a pattern of autumn leaves and wooden tea utensils to match the season. All that was left to prepare was the hot water. Now we were all set!

Items that harmonize with the natural scenery

The beige color of the matcha bowl, which retains the gentle texture of the clay, highlights the vivid matcha green color well. The autumn leaves painted on the outside also match the surrounding scenery. On the other hand, the vermilion and gold "Natsume", although small, has a gorgeous presence that adds to the elegance of the occasion. The Yatsuyanagi chashaku tea scoop and tea tray are made of Kaba-zaiku (wild cherry bark work) and seem to blend in with the natural scenery. Making matcha outdoors sounds like a lot of work, but we feel that we found a new way to enjoy matcha that is easier and more accessible.

Wisdom from the past, the appeal of the Bento Box

In Japan, people often take a bento box with them for lunch when they go outdoors. Although plastic bento boxes have become the most common type of lunch boxes, in earlier times bento boxes were made of wood. Most of the bento boxes we carry at MUSUBI KILN are also made of wood. For this picnic, we chose a Yamanaka lacquerware lunch box. We filled it with "Inari sushi" and side dishes and wrapped it in a furoshiki cloth. The “Inari sushi” bento looked very appetizing!

As delicious to the eye as it is to the palate

This wooden lunch box has a simple rectangular shape accented with a tied string. The exciting feeling of untying the string is a delightful aspect of this design. Bento boxes made of natural wood not only look good, but also have excellent humidity control and sterilizing effects. So the wooden lunch boxes that have been loved for many years are filled with the wisdom of our ancestors.

Add a touch of color with small Bento items

The design of the bento box is simple, so we matched small items with pretty designs. The Issou Spring Flowers Nishijin Ori Brocade Chopsticks Case and Seikou Kiln Kutani Color Reusable Chopsticks are from different regions of Japan, but both are red with a floral pattern, making them a perfect match. The furoshiki cloth is also a red color to match. Even if it is difficult to have many bento boxes, having several different types of small items that do not take up storage space adds to the fun of choosing. Try coordinating colors according to the season, such as light colors in spring, cool colors in summer, and warm colors in fall and winter, to make eating outside even more fun.

After a very satisfying picnic, the entire staff felt very refreshed. Japanese tableware may have the image of being very delicate and requiring much care when handling. But in actuality, many items are light and sturdy, and suited for outdoor use. Take them along with you on your next picnic or camping trip!