Keep it long, treasure it long.

With a wide shape, it is easy to serve and eat.

Looking back at "today's dining table," the Hasami ware brand ALONGU was born. Designed to be versatile enough to accommodate a wide range of meals—from homemade Japanese dishes to pasta, salads, and even ready-made side dishes—the tableware is crafted to embrace all types of cuisine. For instance, you can easily envision using it for toast and fruit in the morning, a one-plate meal with leftovers at lunch, and a well-presented main and side dishes at dinner. Its broad usability is truly appealing.

Tableware You Can Use Without Hesitation for Today's Menu

Everyday tableware should be designed for "effortless use" rather than requiring constant care. ALONGU aims to create durable and affordable pieces that fit seamlessly into daily life. Including ease of use in the microwave and dishwasher, the design integrates smoothly into the flow of everyday chores. Whether it's a busy day or a day when you want to enjoy a proper meal, ALONGU is the go-to choice.

The Bowl 200mm features a wide shape reminiscent of a shallow ramen bowl, making it easy to serve and enjoy soupy dishes. Its shallowness allows ingredients to be visible and makes it easier to achieve a balanced presentation. For example, noodles like udon or soba can be neatly contained with broth and toppings, making it easy to pick up with chopsticks. Dishes like curry or taco rice, which layer ingredients over rice, won’t spill as easily as on a flat plate, yet they don’t appear as heavy as in a bowl, perfectly organizing a daily meal. Additionally, it can hold a variety of dishes, from thick sauces like mapo tofu and eight-treasure stir-fry to main dishes with broth like nikujaga, as well as hearty salads and side dishes, making it a frequent choice on the family dining table.

Crafting Tableware with Individual Differences in Mind

ALONGU's tableware is designed with the understanding that variations in glaze thickness and iron powder can occur. While porcelain is often associated with uniformity, the raw materials are natural clay, and the kiln environment can change with the seasons and climate. The thickness of the glaze, firing conditions, and manual processes all contribute to the natural occurrence of glaze irregularities and small iron particles. At ALONGU, we ensure that these characteristics do not result in "B-grade" products; instead, we design them to be seen as part of the charm of the tableware. We actively use glazes that are prone to crystal reactions, allowing for unique appearances in each piece, making it easy to embrace the differences.

Glaze not only serves as decoration but also protects the surface and influences how food is presented. ALONGU has carefully selected four types of glaze expressions that are easy to handle on the dining table and enhance the visual appeal of dishes.
- Edge Rust: A finish that applies iron glaze to the rim, creating a bold line that contrasts with the white base, making the contours of the presentation clear and pairing well with dishes that benefit from negative space or a delicate appearance.
- Sage: A transparent glaze with a hint of blue that brightens the table without being flashy. It is characterized by its ability to keep white or lightly colored foods from sinking, making it easy to match with everyday meals.
- Tenmoku: A black glaze rich in iron that reacts during firing, creating delicate patterns on the surface. While this glaze can exhibit significant variation, its deep color enhances the vibrancy of ingredients, making it suitable for colorful or oily dishes.
- Yaki-shime: A finish achieved by firing at high temperatures without glaze, resulting in a matte surface. Among the four types, it has a texture closest to Western tableware, making it versatile for various cuisines.

A New Choice in Hasami Ware

ALONGU is a tableware brand born from the perspective of "enjoying the current state of Japanese cuisine and hinting at its future." It pursues forms of tableware that do not limit the genre of cuisine, based on the evolving Japanese dining table that incorporates diverse food cultures. The product design is led by Jin Kuramoto, who references modern Asian tableware styles while focusing on the forms of plates and bowls.

The background is rooted in the context of "living tableware" nurtured by the Hasami region in Nagasaki Prefecture. Used daily at the dining table, washed, stored, and reused—ALONGU values the importance of this cycle while enhancing the "freedom of use" to adapt to the diversification of modern food. Drawing inspiration from local production activities and agriculture in Hasami, the brand also addresses waste reduction through its production cycle, reflecting the makers' commitment in the product's essence.

As a result, ALONGU offers tableware that can be used casually every day, naturally complements both Japanese and Western dishes, and maintains a cohesive aesthetic whether purchased as a set or added to over time. For those who find it challenging to maintain overly meticulous dining practices, ALONGU quietly provides a reliable option for creating a "realistic" well-organized dining table.