[Hisaya-odori] “Make my day” to Convey New Seto Ware to the Next Generation

"make my day"is a tableware specialty store located a minute's walk from the subway "Hisaya Odori" station. We mainly develop the original brand "m.m.d.", which is eye-catching with colorful colors and hexagonal vessels.

This shop stands quietly in one section of the building. When you open the door, you will be fascinated by the brightly colored Seto ware. The original brand "m.m.d.", which proposes a concept of "just a little extraordinary", is popular not only for personal use, but also for gifts.

We will introduce the reason why the store was established, the birth of "m.m.d.", and the charm of Seto ware.

"I want to convey the charm of pottery"
Opening a specialty store

Mr. Shinji Okaue, representative of "make my day"

– Please tell us about the process of opening this shop.

Ms. Okaue: "I worked as a buyer for a baby goods trading company for about 15 years. I had many opportunities to buy overseas and go to exhibitions, and tableware was held at the same time during the exhibitions. I have always been interested in tableware, and I began to think that I wanted to communicate the appeal of tableware and deliver it to customers.

There are many pottery production areas around Aichi Prefecture, including Seto ware, Tokoname ware, Mino-yaki, Shigaraki ware, and Banko ware. We realized that there are not many stores specializing in tableware, despite the fact that this location is rare even in Japan. So I opened 'make my day' to specialize in pottery."

– Was the original brand “m.m.d.” created when you opened?

Ms. Okaue: "At first, I was making proposals by selecting manufacturers based on my experience as a buyer, but I began to think that I wanted to develop original designs. My encounter with a Seto potter who was designing and giving shape to his own ideas led me to launch m.m.d."

– I think you had various ideas and thoughts before launching “m.m.d.” Please tell us about them.

Ms. Okaue: We developed a brand concept based on the theme of 'a little bit of the unusual'. When we were developing products based on the concept of "cherishing connections," we thought it would be good to have an iconic shape for the container itself. We came up with the idea of a hexagonal vessel. The hexagonal shape of the bowls is like a beehive, with no gaps between them. The glaze is applied in different ways, so that the transparency and the color scheme are connected. By merging these elements, I incorporated a technique that matched the concept, and 'm.m.d.' was born."

– Why did you decide to create an original brand of Seto ware?

Mr. Okaue: “There used to be about 300 potteries in Seto, but now there are about 60. Just like apparel, overseas production is the main, and cheap pottery is being made in China and other Asian countries.

Seto ware is one of the six oldest kilns in Japan and boasts a history of more than 1,000 years. I have a strong desire to bring the charm and value of Seto ware to more people. Because of its long history, Seto ware has many craftsmen who can make anything from pottery, porcelain, semi-porcelain, etc. and have diverse skills. That is why I thought that by creating an original brand "m.m.d.," Seto ware would be better recognized and we could continue to pass it on to the next generation."

– You are trying to revitalize the region by creating an original brand of Seto ware.

Mr. Okaue: "I think that Seto ware has the technology to propose new vessels. Through 'mmd', I would like to convey the charm of Seto ware to the next generation, and to promote Seto ware. ”