Holding a plate in one's hand, its form, texture, and ease of use naturally elicits a smile, this is WASARA, this is the art of living, designed by artist Shinichiro Ogata.
Underlying the spirit of these crisp, light pieces is the legacy of the Japanese aesthetic and values. Japan has a tradition of incomparable manufacturing backed by reliable skills and technique and offers one of the most refined food cultures in the world with the spirit of hospitality and attention to detail. While this exquisite tableware is by design ephemeral, it represents the essence of Japanese tradition and spirit. This exquisite table ware is not entirely new, has been on the market for a number of years but still it seems needs to walk its miles to reach an international public. It is so beautiful, one would like to through out ones china, and only use these simple pieces evoking the notion of poetry in food consumption.
Earth conscious
As is the fate of all single-use tableware, a piece of WASARA can serve its purpose only once. Yet it is designed to minimize the environmental burden. WASARA is made from 100% renewable, tree-free materials, specifically, bamboo, reed pulp, and bagasse (a by-product of the sugar refining process). Bamboo and reed grow in abundance, and are readily renewed. Bagasse is waste left over after extracting juice from sugarcane, and is often discarded or burned, but its intrinsic properties make it perfect as a paper base. By replacing wood pulp with these rapidly-renewable non-wood materials, our natural resources can be used more efficiently. As befits a product crafted from such natural materials, WASARA is fully biodegradable and compostable, even in home composting systems.
Japanese creative tradition
WASARA is the product of a unique Japanese sensibility that has developed throughout history. Elements of this sensibility can be found in Japanese design, architecture and manufacturing.
In Japanese design, a technique known as "shakkei" aims to integrate the landscape seen through a window as a part of an interior. This represents the spirit of living in harmony with nature. Another example is of lattice in a shoji screen, which creates beauty with its repetition of simple patterns. While simple, these techniques and designs require the utmost accuracy in craftsmanship. The resulting aesthetic is clean and crisp, and a source of joy in everyday life.
WASARA tableware incorporates this sensibility, spirit, and aesthetics.
Form and texture set it apart
Comfortable and stable in your hands, the style and texture of WASARA clearly distinguish it from other disposable tableware. With organic forms that can be handled comfortably, and a texture that reflects its handcrafted roots, WASARA facilitates the Japanese custom of holding dishes in one hand while eating.
Life followed by a little smile
It is a common practice in Japan to select tableware that best suits each ingredient or cuisine. Among the world's food cultures, no other nation cares as much about its choice of tableware.
This so one can enjoy the meal with all senses, epitomized in this exquisite table ware, a shame, it is disposable. These forms add beauty to a casual gathering and create a rich, uplifting atmosphere.
Earth to earth
As single-use tableware, WASARA is ephemeral. The materials will return to soil in the end. Since ancient times human beings have lived side by side with nature, conversing with and learning from it. Wasara will return to earth but its beauty endures. Through the process of composting, these products will return to soil, from which they came, and from which new life springs. The beauty of Wasara stays long after it is gone.
