Find out where I like to buy my Japanese ceramics for kitchen and dining while based in the US. I’ll review two reputable online sites (Lakole and Musubi Kiln) and give various suggestions on beginner tools needed.

If you cook a lot of Japanese food or are hoping to cook more Japanese food you probably want to start with the proper kitchenware. Translating American dishware to Japanese foods doesn’t always work – Japanese soup bowls are so much smaller than American ones, while Japanese noodle bowls tend to be much bigger than your average cereal bowl, not to mention tools needed for specific dishes like tamagoyaki or hot pots.

I really love buying ceramics and tableware specifically from Japan because they tend to be very high quality, and they just fit the portion size of Japanese cuisine so much better than American dishes. But given that I am based in the US, I run into the problem of where I can buy Japanese pottery with affordable shipping. If that’s you too, I got you covered with two suggestions for online shopping and some other alternatives as well down below.

Japanese Ceramic Shopping Option 1: Musubi Kiln

Musubi Kiln is a Japanese company that sells tableware, kitchenware, ceramics, and pretty much any Japanese dining accessory you can think of to international consumers. They ship to the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and even more countries. Currently, orders over 30,000JPY ship free internationally.

angled shot of tanabata somen in a serving dish with blue and purple noodles under pink and yellow stars
This serving bowl is from Musubi Kiln

Musubi Kiln has the most extensive range of products of Japanese dinnerware and kitchenware that I have seen of any online store. You can search their catalog by material (e.g. bamboo, metal, glass, porcelain, etc.) or even by which kiln in Japan it was fired in. They’ve got donabes, small dishes, large dishes, kids tableware, tea sets, and more. It’s even one of the only online shops that I’ve found soba choko, the small cups meant for dipping your noodles into.

Musubi Kiln also has a wide range in terms of price points. You can find more casual kitchen items like chopstick rests or dinner plates, but you can also find very high end, artisan crafted pieces. If you’re looking for a luxury gift or piece of decor, Musubi Kiln has plenty of options. For example, they sell hina dolls for hinamatsuri, samurai helmets for boys day, and fancy matcha and sake sets.

no-bake yogurt cheesecake slice on a plate with tip scooped off on fork
Chrysanthemum plate from Musubi Kiln

I have several of their pieces, including these gorgeous chrysanthemum plates that I used in my Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Recipe and my Manju Recipe. I also regularly use their rice bowls, noodle bowls, and round dinner plates.

Musubi Kiln Discount

I have partnered with Musubi Kiln to get you guys a discount on some of my favorite products! Any of the items listed on the “Mochi Mommy Favorites” page are 5% off with the code MOCHIMOMMY. It is an affiliate link, so I make a small commission on your purchases at no cost to you.

Japanese Ceramic Option 2: LAKOLE

The second place that I like to buy Japanese tableware and kitchenware is LAKOLE US. LAKOLE is a Japanese ceramics brand from Gifu that has many stores in shopping malls in Japan. Their line of ceramics is meant to be very practical and functional, at an affordable price point, and still beautiful. They have a more minimalist aesthetic. LAKOLE has expanded to the US with several stockists throughout the country, although no standalone stores. If you buy from their online website, lakole.us, you can usually find some free shipping offers for purchases over a certain dollar amount.

matcha jelly in a serving bowl
This small bowl is from LAKOLE

LAKOLE has a much smaller product range than Musubi Kiln, but their products are all pretty versatile with neutral colors and very practical pieces. I like that many LAKOLE pieces are both dishwasher and microwave safe! I frequently use their small sauce bowls, small plates, and medium sized fan and octagon shaped bowls.

LAKOLE discount

LAKOLE has so kindly granted me a discount code for my blog readers and followers! Use code MOCHIMOMMY for 5% off your purchase. This is not an affiliate code, so I don’t make any money off your purchase at LAKOLE – it’s purely for your benefit!

More Places to Buy Japanese Tableware

Muji

If you follow me on socials, you know I looooooove some Muji goods. They’re a home goods store with everything from food to luggage to linens to clothes to kitchenware. Like, literally everything. They have a minimalist aesthetic, and everything is pretty plain and functional. I would say it’s kind of like the IKEA of Japan, but a little bit higher end. You can definitely find Japanese tableware at a good price point at Muji, which also has some US locations and a US online store. However, I would say they are not unique and don’t carry the artistry that Musubi Kiln and LAKOLE pieces do.

All from Muji

If you want to see more of what snacks I bought from Muji when I went to Japan, you can check out this post. For a discount off your first purchase, you can sign up for their email list using my referral link.

Daiso

Daiso is a Japanese dollar store company with various locations throughout the US. They have a kitchen and dining section of their store with basic ceramics and glassware. Given that everything is around $1-3 dollars a piece (with import tariffs and all those fun things), quality and design are obviously going to be hit or miss. However, if you’re in a pinch and just need one small dish, it’s pretty convenient and affordable if you have a Daiso near you. I like to buy small items like cute bento cookie cutters and things like that from Daiso.

hojicha banana bread closeup slice on plate
White plate from Daiso

Amazon

As with anything on Amazon, there’s a risk involved. I’ve bought a couple things off Amazon when I was looking for a specific Japanese brand (e.g. my Hario cold brew tea bottle) and knew exactly what product I wanted. Please just do your research on the seller before you commit and know that you probably cannot verify a lot of information about how or where the item was made unless you are buying from a specific Japanese company that is an official vendor on Amazon.

My Recommended Japanese Kitchen Items for Beginners

If you’re ready to jump in and start cooking Japanese meals, here are the basic beginner dishware and tools that I would recommend investing in. For a family of four, here’s what I would have in my cupboards:

  • 4-6 Small rice bowls
  • 4-6 Small soup bowls
  • 1-2 Noodle bowls (my little kids don’t need a whole giant bowl for themselves)
  • 1 Tamagoyaki pan
  • 1 Donabe
  • 1 Grater
  • 1 Miso soup strainer

Between Musubi Kiln, LAKOLE, Muji, and Daiso, you should be able to find all of those items within whatever budget you have set.

I hope this post is helpful to you and allows you to shop with more ease! Let me know if I missed any of your favorite Japanese ceramics and kitchenware brands in the comments below.