Can Be Used as Both a 7-inch Bowl and a 7-inch Plate

Hanada: I’d like to hear about your new pieces. First, this oval plate you call “Oval B.” It looks like a form that adds more depth to the large French-style oval dish you made last time.

Haruya Abe: When I thought about today’s dining style, I felt it might be easier to use if I gave it a little more room. It can be used both as an individual plate and as a serving dish.

Hanada: How about the depth?

Haruya Abe: I made it deep enough to hold dishes with broth, and gave the rim a gentle curve. Even when it’s filled to the brim, it doesn’t look cramped — it keeps a nice sense of openness.

Hanada: I heard that at your home, you use it instead of a 7-inch plate — for pasta, curry, and so on.

Haruya Abe: Yes, it’s good for seared bonito too, or even roast beef— though we don’t eat it often(laughs). I think it can function both as a 7-inch plate and as a 7-inch bowl.

Hanada: Since it has some depth, it works as a bowl, but you could also treat it like a flat plate.

The “Fluffy” Feel

Hanada: What else do you particularly like about this piece?

Haruya Abe: The kind of fluffy, relaxed form. I aimed for a shape that doesn’t feel too rigid. A slightly casual form feels just right when food is served.

Hanada: There are four colors. Which one do you prefer?

Haruya Abe: White is the easiest to use, but at home we use moegi (a soft green). When you serve food on it, the color blends in beautifully. The gentle tone goes well with any dish. It even looks surprisingly good with spiced curry.

Also Great as an “Onigiri Plate”

Hanada: What about this rectangular plate? Like the oval one, it makes use of that same rounded, soft form.

Haruya Abe: Until now, most of my pieces were round, so I thought I should make something square or oval. This one is about the size of a medium plate and has some depth. It feels refreshing to use this square shape as a small serving plate. It also works well as an onigiri plate, or for a one-plate breakfast — eggs, salad, and sausage, for example. And since it’s square, it doesn’t take up much space on the table.

Hanada: Since you have a family of four, you must have four of them.

Haruya Abe: Yes, one for each person. I also made sure they can be stacked easily.

Hanada: Anything else you paid attention to?

Haruya Abe: The thickness. It shouldn’t be too heavy, but it also shouldn’t feel fragile.

Maintaining the Same Presence Even When Downsized

Hanada: This is your 5.5-inch peony-patterned plate. It’s a familiar motif, yet feels fresh. Why did you choose the peony design?

Haruya Abe: I simply love peonies, and even when the design is made smaller, it still keeps its charm. If I used a hōsōge (arabesque) pattern instead, it would have felt a bit too restrained.

Hanada: How was it recreating the plaster mold while reducing the size?

Haruya Abe: I had to be careful not to lose the original atmosphere of the peony motif. I kept the three-dimensional quality of the peony, and since it’s smaller, I made the branches and leaves more defined to preserve balance.

Hanada: I notice you used the “.5” size again.

Haruya Abe: Yes, I did (laughs). (In the previous interview, we talked about how many of his pieces come in half-sun increments — 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 inches, and so on.)

Smaller — Yet More Versatile

Hanada: Next, this small handled spouted bowl.

Haruya Abe: By lowering the height, it actually gained more presence. It’s great for small condiments or dips. Usually, making something bigger increases its versatility, but in this case, shrinking it actually made it more versatile.

Hanada: Not just for condiments or dips, right?

Haruya Abe: You can use it for miso or mayonnaise.

Hanada: Or vegetable sticks…

Haruya Abe: Or even for aonori (seaweed flakes) at a takoyaki party (laughs). It would also work well placed on a larger plate.

Hanada: Sounds like there are lots of fun ways to use it.

The Perfect Bowl for “Tamago Kake Gohan”

Hanada: Now, the “tamago kake gohan” bowl.

Haruya Abe: My special one (laughs).

Hanada: It’s been about four years since you started making it, hasn’t it? We always say it deserves to be more widely known — between you and me (laughs).

Haruya Abe: (laughs) People should just give it a try. We actually use it all the time at home — morning, noon, and night.

Hanada: It’s a size and shape that’s surprisingly hard to find. And everyone loves tamago kake gohan.

Haruya Abe: Exactly. Everyone loves it. In our house, we share the egg mixture, which is why it has a spout — to pour and share. Of course, there are other dishes on the table too.

Hanada: That’s what you wanted to make it for in the first place, right?

Haruya Abe: Yes, that’s exactly why I made it. You beat the egg, add soy sauce, and share it. It’s large enough for about two eggs. If the spout were too big, it would feel awkward to hold, so I adjusted the size and depth carefully.

Hanada: It’s such a convenient piece for tamago kake gohan. Now that more colors are available, I’m looking forward to them. Best of luck with the exhibition.

Haruya Abe: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

*Chopstick rest (cat) is available only in-store.