Hi there, we are Motsutou!
We are Emi and Fabio Pires, glad to have you here! We created Motsutou to promote Bizen ware through its history, culture, artists, and creation.
We handpick these minimalistic, one-of-a-kind pieces for people who value stories behind each product they purchase. Who love life-lasting, sustainable daily items. And who choose consciously in every aspect of their lives.
Bringing items you feel connected.
Mindfulness occurs when we surround ourselves with intentional objects. That means knowing why you chose them and how you feel about them. That’s what we discovered when we first acquired these ceramics.
We noticed experiences on our table began to change. Imagine our transformation at dinner, from emotionlessly moving through the task of setting the table to taking out our Bizen ware from the rack like a 5-year-old pulling her favorite book out the shelf for the bedtime story. We felt so happy to see these pieces and use them on our table everyday because they reminded us of the artist who made them, the process they went through, and why they look so different from each other.
It was our aha moment of understanding the story attached to your item and your intentional choice of the story. That’s when you create a connection with the object. It’s no longer “just stuff”, it’s officially part of your life. When that happens, you are content with what you have. And we want to bring you the same thing. The aha moment.
Promoting imperfections.
“What is the core characteristic of Bizen ware?” It’s a question we ask when we visit a Bizen ware artist. And all of them say (the ones we’ve asked so far anyway!), “the imperfection.” They craft every piece with hands, and the unglazed surface creates unique patterns in the kiln. That means trying to make them uniform and perfect is not Bizen ware’s nature.
Let go of the urge to make things perfect and appreciate the beauty that comes from imperfections. That’s Bizen ware, and it’s also the concept of wabi-sabi. This is part of why we fell in love with the stoneware — using them daily is like a reminder to celebrate all our imperfections and what makes us authentic. And it’s the message we want to promote to the world.
Motsu What?
We are convinced Bizen ware should be held and used daily rather than being displayed as an art piece. They should get dirty and scrubbed as that’s what the Bizen ware was created for 1000 years ago and when it truly starts to shine: Its texture and colors change as you use it — it ages with you.
So we named our shop “motsutou”— pottery(tou) to hold (motsu).
Thanks for stopping by! We are so glad you are here.