Our picks for Party Tableware

You’ve done the wine party, the costume party, the luau party and the 80’s theme party.

If you're looking for something fresh and different, how about a chic, modern style gathering using Japanese tableware items and flourishes to entertain your guests.

New tableware introduces us to new food choices, and new food choices let us try new beverages. With some new Japanese tableware, you can be inspired to create a whole new theme and setting for your next get-together. And just because the tableware is from Japan that doesn’t mean that the food has to be. The items we recommend can cater to different kinds of food and beverages from all over the world.

We’ve chosen 5 pieces of tableware that will surely catch the attention of your guests and help strike up a conversation at the party table.

Beautifully simple and ideally practical.

This Thermal Sake Cooler was inspired by the concept of a “himuro” by giving the cooler a double-bottom structure. Back in the days where there were no refrigerators, people would store food items in a “himuro” where ice was placed to keep food fresh. In this cooler, ice is placed in the bottom and covered with a donut–shaped lid over which the sake bottle is placed. Kisen conceived this idea to answer customers' requests for a sake cooler that can chill a sake bottle without getting it wet.

The smooth exterior is made from Kiso Cypress with an inner lining of cast aluminum. A braid of thin wire in the middle adds to the crisp image of a chilled bottle of sake.

The natural color of cypress blends in well with wooden table tops and colored table cloth. Add some wooden sake cups to complete a sake set.

This sake cooler is something completely new in style and concept. Place it on the dining table for an elegant dinner or on a table outside for a leisurely barbeque dinner.

Hibino Modern Shokado Bento Box is a brand-new Shokado lunch box created to maximize culinary presentation and enhance your dining experience.

The wooden box is made of solid ash wood with a sturdy thickness. It is crafted by artisans in Sabea City in Fukui Prefecture which is known for its long history of manufacturing high quality wood products and beautiful Echizen lacquerware. The box-shaped dishes are all Mino ware and stylishly colored to enhance the food it holds.

This bento box can lend you a helping hand in many ways when you are getting ready to welcome guests.

Prepare all the food you plan to serve at the party beforehand and set them on the Mino ware dishes. When it’s time to eat, just set the plates in the box and you are ready to eat.

If you plan to serve some hot dishes, these Mino ware items are microwave safe, so warm them up before serving. If you are a sushi buff, plate different types of sushi in the bigger dishes, wasabi and pickled ginger in the smaller ones. Store them in the refrigerator and place them in the box when your guests are seated at the table. Or buy some sashimi and neatly lay them on the bigger dishes and have a make-your-own sushi party.

Set some some delectable tapas, dainty amuse-bouche or dry snacks in each compartment, so your guests will have something to munch on while enjoying their cocktails and you can get ready for the main meal.

The lid can be used as a tea tray for everyday use and the Mino ware dishes can be stacked for easy storage.

Traditional Japanese motifs, designs and artwork exquisitely painted with vivid Kutani colors on chopstick rests. These small chopstick rests stand on their own as lovely pieces of art at the table. They are long-selling items and highly collectable.

These chopstick rests come in 20 different designs of animals, flowers and traditional auspicious Japanese patterns. Each is meticulously painted with the authentic five colors of Kutani ware, green, yellow, red, purple and dark blue.

Choose the chopstick rests that you find attractive and learn about the story behind the design. For example, the chopstick rest with the red Mount Fuji is a design from the famous Japanese Ukiyo-e artist in the Edo period, Hokusai Katsushika. It is one of the drawings from The Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series.

Seikou Kiln opened its kiln in the early Taisho era(about 100 years ago) in Nomi City of Ishikawa Prefecture. After extensive research, they developed a technique using highly crafted transfer paper to create beautiful Kutani ware with the exact same quality of glass-like transparency and hand painted designs found in authentic Kutani ware.

Set these pieces at the table for chopsticks or other utensils or even just as a decor item and broaden the conversation at the table with these decorative chopsticks rest filled with Japanese culture.

This elegant tray shaped like a half moon is handcrafted by Yamanaka Lacquerware.

The half moon is an auspicious shape and is widely used for celebratory occasions such as New Year's day in Japan.The tray works well as a charger plate or a placemat to organize the plates and utensils for a guest. You can also use the tray to serve tea or sake at the table or organize condiments in one place with this tray.

The tray can be used on both sides with a glossy black on one side and a shiny vermilion on the other. The sides are smoothly carved and the surface of the tray shows the natural wood grains of the tree through the neatly coated lacquer. Light to hold and big enough to serve even a traditional “ichiju sansai” meal which is the basic style of a Japanese meal with a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup, a main dish and two side dishes.

Yamanaka lacquerware is produced in the Yamanaka Onsen area of Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture with a history of about 400 years. It was designated as a traditional craft by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in 1975.

Its timeless traditional design is suitable for long-term use, daily use or when entertaining guests.

A truly beautiful piece of artwork that can be used for years to come.

If you have ever stayed at a Japanese style inn , a “ryokan” , maybe you’ve seen something similar to this tea box. Japanese tea boxes used to be an item seen in most Japanese homes but with the change in lifestyle and less people drinking Japanese tea, it is unfortunately becoming a tableware item of the past.

This Hexagon Japanese tea box made by Yatsuyanagi is made with cherry bark from cherry trees in Akita Prefecture. You can feel the natural textures of the wood from every part of the box, almost as though you were touching an actual tree. Enjoy the detailed carving of the branches, leaves and the different colored bark pieces used to create the cherry blossoms.

The wood bark used for these tea boxes are made from wild cherry trees from the Tohoku region where trees grow in harsh climates and are said to be durable. The moist texture of the bark gives the surface a glossy, beautiful shine.

As to hold a full set of tea cups and a teapot, the tea box is sturdy and has a fair amount of weight. When set on a table, it has a strong presence yet sends out a message of warm nostalgia.

Use it to serve tea after a meal or put in sweets and other confectionaries to serve with coffee or tea.With its radiant aesthetics, displaying it in the living room or the study would also be a choice with this beautifully crafted tea box.

Since 1876, Yatsuyanagi has engaged in the manufacture and sale of wild cherry bark work for generations in Kakunodate, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture, a place rich in nature. They put their hearts and soul into each and every product, using the technology that has been handed down from generation to generation to create items that are both easy to use and beautiful. Yatsuyanagi is committed to the preservation of nature and the coexistence and co-prosperity of nature and traditional crafts. They are also actively involved in planting wild cherry trees on fallow land.

We hope that some of these items will give you inspiration for your next home gathering. And don’t be afraid to use these items for daily meals as well. Just adding a new chopstick rest sends out a whole new vibe from the table.

Inviting friends and family to your home and spending time together around the table is all about showing our appreciation and love to the people who are close to us. Let these tableware be part of your home and help you enjoy the time you spend with your loved ones.