Spreading skies without a single cloud, cool ocean waters lapping upon expansive beaches, spectacular blossoms of morning glories - these are all summer treasures that paint the hot season with their beautiful hues of blue. 
As summer comes into full bloom and the heat is turned up another notch, you will want to find cool refuge with a visually soothing table setting to relish summer delicacies. 

Enjoy a table decorated with the fresh and gentle colors of blue evoking emotions of a Japanese summer. Experience the delicate art of blue on exquisite white porcelain with Mikawachi ware from Kakusho Kiln.

Contents

• A Symphony of Blue
• The Mastery of Mikawachi Ware
• Featured Items

Key points of this table setting

1. A Symphony of Blue

Summer's blue hues tell a story that weave the narrative of the season. 

"Sometsuke" is a decorative technique where designs are painted in blue on a white porcelain base with an underglaze called "Gosu." Plates and bowls adorned with this technique captivate with their perfect balance of the various shades of blue on white that gives just the right amount of coolness and grace to a meal setting.

The Hakuichi Fleur Placemat gives light that draws attention to the organized setting of the harmonious blues for each person at the table. And the light airiness of thin bamboo adds further finesse to the table design. 

Today we served inari-zushi appetizingly dressed with a layer of sashimi and vegetables, making the often-casually served inari-zushi a wonderful starter for a summer meal. The same menu plated on a fully decorated Sometsuke plate, and on a smaller Sometsuke plate with intricate paintings with more area of shiny white porcelain have slightly different impressions. The simplest of menus will come alive with a tempting allure on a plate hand painted with blue upon a canvas of white.

The Yamachiku bamboo chopsticks adds further freshness, and subtly match the colors of the inari-zushi. Natural hues that dress summer in Japan come together well with this table decor.

2. The Mastery of Mikawachi Ware

As a Mikawachi ware kiln, Kakusho Kiln is renowned for their Sometsuke porcelain. Their tableware items feature traditional motifs such as peony arabesques, birds, flowers, and playful children. Each piece is meticulously decorated using fine lines reminiscent of delicate paintings which now have become the signature style of Kakusho Kiln.

The vibrancy of green tea is beautifully amplified when served in Sometsuke teaware - finely drawn chrysanthemums and bush clovers adorning the teacup and teapot being nothing short of artwork. What makes Mikawachi ware truly astonishing is its exquisite thinness, a clear demonstration of its delicate craftsmanship.

The mastery of Mikawachi ware of Kakusho Kiln can also be found in its luxurious sheen that penetrates to the porcelain's core. And with a poised balance between elegance and practicality, each piece is finely crafted with subtle and gentle curves. 

Using Sometsuke tableware provides a wonderful opportunity to highlight the captivating interplay of blue and white to brighten up the atmosphere of a meal. We hope you try adding some pieces into your next gathering and grace your table with the beauty of blue on white porcelain.

Featured Items

Kakusho Kiln

Kakusho Kiln celebrates the allure of Sometsuke, where white porcelain becomes a canvas for intricate blue artistry. The porcelain's pristine white surface serves to magnify the ethereal charm of soft, heartening blue hues. Renderings of delicate petals and enchanting children glow with lifelike vibrancy. Gradations of indigo come alive, captivating and enchanting all who gaze upon the stunning tableware pieces from Kakusho Kiln.