About us
ZenwareCrafts
Experience the artistry of Japan in every detail - elegant, handcrafted ceramics, tableware and home goods that blend tradition with modern living
Our Story
Some things are too beautiful to keep to yourself.
When our team in Boston first discovered the quiet elegance of Japanese handcrafted ceramics — the way a single Mino ware bowl could make an ordinary breakfast feel intentional, or how an Arita porcelain teapot could turn a rushed morning into a small ritual — we knew we wanted to share that feeling with people who care about their homes as much as we do.
ZenwareCrafts was born from a simple belief: that the objects we eat and drink from every day deserve the same care and thought as the food we put on them. We set out to bring Japan's most treasured ceramic traditions directly to tables across the US — not mass-produced replicas, but the real thing, made by real hands, in the studios where these traditions were born.
How We Source
Finding the right pieces isn't something that happens behind a screen.
We work closely with our partner in Japan, Niz Market — a Tokyo-based company founded by NiNi and ZHI, two women with a shared passion for discovering emerging Japanese pottery artists and the studios behind them. Together, we travel across Japan's celebrated ceramic regions — from the ancient kilns of Arita in Saga Prefecture, to the folk pottery studios of Mashiko in Tochigi, to the workshops of Gifu where Mino ware has been fired for over 1,300 years.
Every piece in our collection is hand-selected. We look for work that honors its tradition while feeling completely at home on a modern table — pieces with character, with story, with the kind of quiet beauty that only comes from something made by hand.
ZenwareCrafts x Niz Studio
The Artisans Behind the Pieces
We believe the people who make our ceramics deserve to be known by name.
Takashi Sogo works in the Kohiki tradition — an ancient technique that layers white slip over clay to create surfaces that feel almost alive, organic and textured in a way no machine could replicate. His plates and bowls carry the quiet confidence of someone who has spent a lifetime mastering a single craft.
Rina Ono designs the Tsudoi collection — tableware conceived around the Japanese idea of gathering, tsudoi (集い), where food and people come together around a shared table. Each of her four distinct textures is designed to complement the others, making every meal feel considered.
Momoko Shiohata makes slipware in the Mashiko tradition — one-of-a-kind pieces decorated by hand with the fluid, expressive patterns that define this folk pottery style. When her pieces sell out, they're gone. There will never be another quite like them.
These are just a few of the makers whose work we carry. Every collection on our site has a human being behind it — and we think that matters.
Our Home
We're based in Boston, Massachusetts. We opened our Etsy shop https://zenwarecrafts.etsy.com early 2025 and now continue to explore more opportunities. We're proud to bring a little piece of Japan to homes across the United States. Whether you're building a curated collection of Japanese pottery, looking for a meaningful gift, or simply ready to make your everyday table a little more beautiful — we're glad you found us.
About Our Partner - Niz Market
Niz Market Corporation was founded in Tokyo, Japan by two girls, NiNi and ZHI. Guided by a passion for unique artistic design, they curate products that inspire joy and thoughtful living. Their mission is to bring beauty and quality into everyday life by showcasing the work of emerging Japanese pottery artists.
Niz Market in Tokyo
Niz Island Branch in Shanghai