Local Business Highlight: Utsuwa-No-Yakata

Located on the ground floor of Richmond’s Aberdeen Centre, Utsuwa-No-Yakata is a unique store where you can find a variety of hand-selected Japanese plates, bowls, teaware and tableware all in one place. “Utsuwa-No-Yakata” roughly translates to “House of Tableware”. Historically, a ‘yakata’ denotes a place that provides goods or food for a large number of people.

The Utsuwa-No-Yakata store sign in Aberdeen Centre

We were able to chat with Natsushi who graciously shared with us the backstory to their well-loved business. In the countryside of Mino-ware area in Japan where Natsushi had grown up, his family owned a small factory that designed traditional tableware. He guesses that being raised in that environment led him to develop an interest in the art of curating tableware! As he wanted to share this craft with people from outside of Japan, when he came to Canada, it seemed like the perfect concept for a business.

At Utsuwa-No-Yakata, you will see Japanese tableware in the form of gift boxed items, to individual items of which there are many options. There are tea sets, ramen bowls, dinner plates and even bento boxes for children - all of which are perfect to buy as gifts, or simply for yourself! We can guarantee you will receive exceptional service and will find items both functional and beautifully simplistic in design that will surely be lovely additions to your home.

From the Utsuwa-No-Yakata website "Our Pottery" (from left to right, top to bottom: Mino-ware, Arita/Hasami-ware, Banko-ware)

In the work of their business, Natsushi values creating personal connections that are founded upon trust, and walk-in customers trust their expertise as they help them to select the authentic, unique Japanese tableware for their kitchen or living space. Additionally, they also collaborate with local restaurant owners and chefs, helping them make their culinary visions come to life. Despite Japan being an ocean away, their hope is that their customers can feel connected to Japan and Japanese culture through their curated collection of tableware at Utsuwa-No-Yakata.