Table Setting #213
Layered Beauty: Yamanaka Lacquerware Bowls for a Japanese Breakfast

In a peaceful morning space, where the warmth of hot rice meets the refreshing coolness of cold miso soup, the table is set with a sense of comfort. Nestled lacquerware bowls, each holding a new layer of flavor, invite you to enjoy hiyajiru and colorful bites of side dishes. Start your day with something a bit special, turning breakfast into a soothing ritual for both body and soul.

Contents

• The Beauty of a Minimalist Table
• Oryoki: The Balance of Tradition and Usefulness
• Featured Item

Key points of this table setting

1. The Beauty of a Minimalist Table

This breakfast table spread, with its deep, earthy tones of wood and iron, gives the spread a grounded feel. The round shapes of the tableware are easy on the eyes, creating a natural flow. With their precise circular design and perfectly sized proportions, the Yamanaka lacquerware bowls provide a modest canvas for savory accompaniments alongside the rice.

Hiyajiru, a chilled miso soup from Miyazaki Prefecture, brings a light and refreshing contrast to the hot rice. Served in a cozy cast iron pot, this cold soup combines the umami of miso with sliced cucumbers, cuts of tofu, Japanese herbs, and a strong dashi base. The mix of these fresh and savory flavors with roasted sesame seeds offer a unique balance, making it a perfect complement to the hearty side dishes.

Small dishes like chilled grilled eggplant, tamagoyaki, and tororo (grated Japanese mountain yam) offer a pleasing variety of tastes and textures, giving you a little of everything to enjoy.

Beauty on the table comes not just from the items themselves but from the interplay of shades and shadows they create. A bamboo basketry tea coaster softens the darker tones of the setting, with its delicate bamboo strips casting artful patterns on the table’s surface.

2. Oryoki: The Balance of Tradition and Usefulness 

Oryoki, traditionally used in Zen monasteries, reflects a mindful approach to meals. This Yamanaka lacquerware bowls carry the legacy of this practice followed by contemporary utility and style. The design of an oryoki is both practical and beautiful.

Each bowl fits perfectly within the other, providing a sense of order with simplicity. This thoughtful layering mirrors the meal itself, where each dish is presented with care, encouraging slow, deliberate enjoyment. Wood grains and the lacquer's smooth texture elevate the dining experience, making these bowls as visually striking as they are functional.

This breakfast with oryoki bowls is all about starting the day with a little bit of everything. Whether you're diving into the chilled hiyajiru or savoring bites of tamagoyaki, this spread turns breakfast into a satisfying moment to look forward to.

Featured Items

GATOMIKIO Black Yamanaka Lacquerware Oryoki Bowl Set

An oryoki is a functional set of bowls designed to minimize waste in daily life, rooted in the practice of Zen Buddhism. It has increasingly attracted attention for its easy-to-use, functional, and minimalist design, making it perfect for the modern table. Made by GATO MIKIO SHOTEN, a Yamanaka lacquerware brand founded in 1908 in Yamanaka Onsen, Ishikawa Prefecture, these bowls reflect advanced wood-turning techniques. GATO MIKIO's products blend seamlessly into contemporary life, offering simplicity and beauty without excess.