About 30 years ago, the tag ‘Made in Japan’ carried a certain stigma. It stood for inexpensive manufacturing, mass product and cost-effective labour. Skip forward and the country’s global reputation is on the flip side. Designers such as Jun Takahashi and Rei Kawakubo are walking all over western catwalks and brands like Toto are the darlings of designed toilets.**Hakusan is another brand affecting Japan’s designed perception for the better. From a small factory in Hasami, Nagasaki, Hakusan has been producing pottery for over 200 years. Over time it has continued to adapt and refine its aesthetic, calling on designers such as Mori Masahiro to command its creative vision.
Hakusan’s vision is this; ‘Fancy Cups’ that mould to the grasp, a ‘Bird Pillow’ which cradles chopsticks and figures like the ‘Chubby Bird’. (These guys don’t do much – but are too cute to discount). Hakusan is restrained yet revolutionary…and there’s no looking back.
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