Japanese Tableware for Children

Choosing the right tableware for children is just as important as choosing what they eat.

With our busy lives, sometimes practicality comes first when we go shopping for tableware. But buying authentic, handmade items has many benefits, especially when they are meant to be used by children.

For example, you can teach children to take good care of the things they use. Tell them the item was chosen especially for them, and that it is meant to be used for a long time.

Also, it can make their time at the table more fun. Choose an item that has their favorite animal with a hand-painted illustration, or an item in their favorite color.

All the products we recommend are made using natural materials and the finishing touches are done by hand. They are eco-friendly and safe to use. Hand made items have a nice fit and are carefully designed to cater to the needs of the user.

Using products that children like and are easy to use, makes eating a fun experience and will help them have better eating habits.

We have carefully chosen 5 items that are suitable for children's needs and that children will love.

This soup bowl is an adorable addition to the table for a meal with kids.

The base is made of natural wood from Japan and is coated with authentic Aizu lacquer. The baby chicken is hand-painted with a brush and cotton buds giving it the warmth of a handmade product.

The size is just right for small hands and is not heavy even when filled with soup. And the edge is smoothed out and thinly shaped to make drinking from the bowl easy for children.

Authentic lacquerware has a distinctive shine and gloss, and the touch to mouth is gentle and smooth. Letting children experience the true value of authenticity is a gift we as adults can give to children.

Fukunishi Sobe Shoten took over the lacquerware division from the Fukunishi family business which was established back in the Edo period.

Fukunishi Sobe’s lacquerware incorporates modern technology and manufactures special items that have high artistic value and are suited for daily use.

This lovely plate is divided into four sections. The soft pink color and cute rabbit design will be appreciated by children.

Unlike plastic or melamine, Hasami Ware porcelain has a beautiful luster that adds even more quality to your dining table with children. All edges are smooth so that they are authentic yet safe for small children to use, and the plates are heavy enough to prevent them from moving when eating with a spoon or fork. They are also dishwasher-safe and easy to clean.

Make your child's tableware set with matching cups and bowls. They also make great gifts.

Oshin Kiln was opened in 1685 as a domain kiln of the Omura Domain and produced many ceramics throughout the Edo and Meiji periods. The current Oshin Kiln was built in the Showa period (1926-1989) on the site of the former Oshin Kiln and aims for further development while passing on the techniques and thoughts of its predecessor potters.

Hasami ware is widely known for its light, durable and easy-to-use tableware. It is widely used in restaurants and homes in Japan.

This small teacup with a unique cat design is suitable for both children and adults. The "Yakishime" (high-fired unglazed ceramics) technique, which is rare in Hasami Ware, is used to create this piece, and the vivid "Some-Nishiki" painting contrasts with the rustic texture of the piece.

The front has a cat's face, and the back has a cat's tail and traditional Japanese patterns painted in a circle. The ears peeking out from the rim of the cup are adorable.

The traditional patterns on the reverse side of the cup have a festive meaning: hemp leaf pattern (red), blue ocean wave pattern (indigo), cloisonne pattern (green), and jimon pattern (blue).

Why don't you and your child enjoy green tea together with this playful Yunomi Teacup?

Kosai Kiln is owned by Hirohiko Umeno, a potter engaged in pottery making in Hasami-cho, Nagasaki Prefecture. He trained at a Kiyomizu Ware kiln in Kyoto City and opened his own kiln in Mt. Nakao in 1991. He produces unique pottery based on handmade and hand-painted techniques.

Light and comfortable in the hand, this authentic Yamanaka lacquereware bowl is easy for children to use. All paintings are carefully hand-painted, and all animal designs have a simple and warm expression.

With four different designs: a rabbit blowing soap bubbles, a friendly elephant, a smiling lion, and a happy cat with a fish, you can choose your favorite or have fun collecting them all together.

The material used for these children's bowls is Japanese Horse Chestnut which is light in weight and has exquisite wood grains. And the high quality craftsmanship of Yamanaka Lacquerware's technique of "suri-urushi" enhances the beauty of the wood grains of these bowls. "Suri-urushi" is where multiple layers of raw lacquer are rubbed into a wooden surface to create a transparent shiny coat.

Yamanaka lacquerware is produced in the Yamanaka Onsen area of Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture, and has a history of about 400 years. It is characterized by the use of wood grain patterns to express a natural texture, and is made with great attention to detail.

One of the unique elements of Japan’s food culture is that each person has their individual tableware item and chopsticks are the most significant.

These Perfect Fit Dishwasher Safe Wakasa Lacquer ReusableChopsticks come in a range of 6 different sizes, the shortest being 15cm/5.9in and the longest being 22.5cm/8.9in. The easiest way to measure which size to choose is to measure the length between your thumb and index finger at a 90° angle and multiply that by 1.5.

These chopsticks are made with Wakasa lacquerware, which has the largest share of the chopstick production in Japan.The carving on the handle gives a nice fit in the hand and makes it easy to hold. They are beautifully colored in a gradient blue color. Additionally, the tip has a non-slip finish that prevents food slipping off the chopsticks. And maybe the best feature of these chopsticks is that they are dishwasher safe.

You may be wondering if a child has the dexterity to use chopsticks, but children are great learners.In Japan, children start to learn to use chopsticks from about 3 or 4 and pretty much master the art at about 5 or 6.

Let children have fun eating Japanese noodles or sushi with their own chopsticks. It may take awhile for them to get used to using chopsticks, but it is always fun trying something new and you might be surprised to discover how skillful they are.

Make drinking milk or juice fun with this Rabbit Hasami Wave Mug. You can see a pink bunny rabbit peeking out of the rim of the mug with a big happy smile and two bunnies cuddled together on the back.

The mug weighs about 4 ounces(120g) and holds about 6.8 ounces of liquid(200ml). It’s about the right weight for a child to hold and heavy enough for it not to tilt over. The handle is easy to hold with small hands and the edges are smooth for safe drinking.

To complete your child’s Japanese tableware set, you will want to get a rice bowl just the right size for children.

This unique rice bowl has a cute pastel blue elephant’s face on the inner rim and a big elephant and his favorite apple on the outside. Match this rice bowl with the mug and the chopstick rest for an animal themed table setting that the children will love.

This bowl holds just the right amount of rice for a child and is easy to hold with small hands. Although made for rice, you can use the bowl for snacks or cereal as well. Kids will love eating out of this fun and cute bowl.

This rice bowl also comes with a lion, cat, dog or rabbit design as well. Pick the one with your child’s favorite animal and make mealtime fun time.

Children will want to come to the table just to see these cute little chopstick rests. The Dog MATE Hasami Chopstick Rests is shaped showing a dog quietly waiting to eat his bone.

“Mate” in Japanese means “wait” and is a command used for animals to teach them to wait for their food. From the front and the back, you can see the dog eagerly waiting to take the first bite into the bone. Although small in size, all the details from the edges of the bone to the tail of the dog are carefully painted by hand.

Hasami ware is one the most popular brands of daily tableware in Japan. The sheer white base glaze is the perfect canvas for the indigo color which is distinctive of Hasami ware.

Children always love to do what adults do. Letting them have their own cup or bowl will make them feel grown up and help them feel more confident at the table. All items are perfect for home use and are also great gifts for your family’s or friend’s small children.

For your next Japanese style meal or for your usual dinner at home, have fun together using authentic Japanese tableware together.