MINGEI Shigaraki Ware Stoneware Plate, 20.5cm

At a glance

• Pronounced stone-flecked texture gives the plate a tactile surface you can immediately feel
• Modern Mingei brings folk-craft warmth into a clean, contemporary table setting
• Kiln firing changes the glaze from piece to piece, giving each plate its own surface character
• 20.5cm size works naturally for breakfast, lunch, cake, salads and smaller main dishes

This is not a plate that only looks textured. Run your fingers across the surface and you can feel its coarse, stone-flecked character straight away.

That tactility comes from MINGEI’s combination of natural glaze and speckled glaze containing small stone particles. Rather than smoothing everything into one uniform finish, the material is allowed to remain part of the experience of the plate. Heat in the kiln adds another layer of variation, changing the colour and surface from one piece to the next. No two are expected to finish exactly alike.

The idea behind the series is Modern Mingei: taking the familiar warmth of Japanese folk craft and giving it a cleaner, more contemporary expression. That makes the plate easy to place on a modern table without needing the rest of the setting to feel traditionally Japanese.

At 20.5cm, it is particularly easy to live with. Use it for toast and eggs, sandwiches, cake, salads, a light pasta portion or a smaller main. The earthy surface adds character even to simple everyday food.

Over time, the tactile finish and individual firing variation are also what give the plate staying power. It feels less like one identical piece from a matching set and more like a piece with its own surface character.