Hakusan Porcelain is a Japanese porcelain manufacturer from Hasami – a small town in Nagasaki Prefecture. The region has been a center of Japanese porcelain production since the 17th century. The company in its current form was founded in 1951, but its history dates back to 1779.
Hakusan Porcelain stands for timeless Japanese design that combines beauty and everyday life. Clear forms, well-thought-out function, and high quality characterize the plates, bowls, cups, vases, and pots of this traditional manufacturer to this day.
The man behind the icons: Masahiro Mori
A formative force behind this development is the legendary ceramist Masahiro Mori (1927-2005). Born near Arita, he apprenticed for two years under a master potter and studied at the Tama Art University in Tokyo. He worked for the Ceramic Industry Research Center in Nagasaki Prefecture, among other places. In 1956, he joined Hakusan Porcelain – and fundamentally transformed the manufactory.
Mori's goal was to make good design accessible to many people: suitable for everyday use, durable, and pleasant to hold. Not dinnerware for display cases, but for the table and daily life. Many of his designs are still produced almost unchanged today and are considered icons of Japanese design.
Design classics that endure
The most famous piece is probably the G-Type Soy Sauce Cruet, designed in 1958 and beloved ever since. Drip-free, subtly elegant, and just as contemporary today as it was on day one. The large opening makes filling easy, and the air hole ensures precise dispensing. The cruet is available in two sizes and five colors. Awarded the Good Design Award and twice with the Long Life Design Award.
The Hirachawan rice bowl, designed in 1992, reinterprets an everyday Japanese object: made slightly flatter and wider, it brings the food more into focus. Not just for rice – it also works as a side dish bowl, for desserts, or fruits. With over 100 different patterns and glazes, choosing is difficult – why not collect several? Awarded the Good Design Award in 1993 and the Long Life Design Award in 2004.
Kasanejima is the name of the dinnerware series with soft, overlapping blue stripes. Since its introduction in 1984, it has been one of Hakusan Porcelain's trademarks and complements both Japanese and Western dishes. The curved corners give the plates their unmistakable shape, and the gentle curve ensures that sauces and dressings are securely held – a beautiful example of how beauty and function ideally complement each other. Awarded the Good Design Award in 2016.
Hakusan Porcelain embodies the belief that good design is for everyone: practical, durable, and beautiful. Bring a piece of Japanese design history into your home and discover our selection at Tokoro.
