Lacquering is the process of applying a glossy, polished finish to wood (and sometimes paper, leather, and other materials). In Japan, the craft is used to decorate art works and functional wares, including vases, bowls, bento boxes, and chopsticks. Wakasa-nuri is one style of lacquering. It first developed in Fukui Prefecture 400 years ago, and is most well known […]
Author Archives: Umami Mart Staff
April 13, 2017
Diamond Cut Glassware Sale! It Only Happens Once a Year!
Our Diamond Cut glassware line is one of our most popular collections for a reason. These handsome drinkware and mixing glasses with the traditional hatched pattern look good in any home or bar. And because they’re made in Japan by our trusted glassware makers, they’re top-notch quality and made to last. Last year, we threw our first Diamond […]
April 11, 2017
Here’s the Menu for our 2nd Annual Sake Dinner at Camino!
Our Second Annual Sake Dinner at Camino is happening this Thursday and we can finally share the menu with you. Here are the details! Hope you can join us. Buy your tickets on Eventbrite.
April 7, 2017
It’s MAC, the Knife!
Are you still using that cheap and dull Ikea knife that you mysteriously inherited several years ago from some roommate or other? If the answer is yes, we have a tool that’s going to change your cooking prep game. If the answer is no, good for you, but you should still read on! The MAC Santoku Knife is […]
April 6, 2017
The New Gold Standard: Yukiwa Gold Boston Shaker Set
Presenting our newest luxe barware product: The Gold Boston Shaker Set. Made by renowned Japanese barware makers, Yukiwa, the set consists of two high-quality gold-plated stainless steel tins. Used together, they seal tightly for making cocktails that need a good, hearty shake. Then, they unseal easily for a satisfying, clean pour. These tins are truly the gold […]
March 31, 2017
As Seen in the Breakfast Club: Soy Sauce Dispenser for One
Remember the lunch scene in The Breakfast Club? Claire (Molly Ringwald) pulls a can of Coke, a wooden tray, a bento box full of sushi, a pair of chopsticks, and a personal soy sauce dispenser from her lunch bag, to the confused disgust of John (Judd Nelson). We were re-watching this ’85 John Hughes classic […]
Think Inside the Box with Ohashi Masu
These colorful hinoki (Japanese cypress) Ohashi Masu are made for serving sake, but you can use them for holding office + art supplies, business cards, spices, jewelry, and a whole lot more. In the case of these masu, getting creative means thinking inside the box. Ohashi has been making its hinoki masu for more than 60 years in Ogaki City, Japan. […]
March 30, 2017
Introducing New Studio Arhoj Familia!
Meet the new family at Umami Mart! Studio Arhoj Familia are a family of Japanese Shinto and pop art-inspired figurines. Each Familia member is hand-cast in white porcelain, glazed in high-fire color, and then fired in the kiln three times before it’s ready to go home with you! The Familia currently residing at Umami Mart are Buru, Kayo, Fuji, Beta, […]
March 24, 2017
New in the Shop: The Sori Yanagi Flatware Collection
We just added four items to our Sori Yanagi Collection that we think you’ll give a fork about. The Sori Yanagi Flatware Collection consists of a Dinner Fork + Dinner Spoon and Serving Fork + Serving Spoon, all designed by Japan’s renowned modern industrial designer, Sori Yanagi, whose everyday products are found in homes in […]
March 23, 2017
New in Blue: Indigo-Hued Hasami Porcelain
Here’s a bolt from the blue: We just added yet another hue to our popular Hasami Porcelain Collection! The collection includes indigo-colored mugs (small, medium, and large), teapot, milk pitcher, sugar pot, and 3-1/3″ plate in a gloss finish. Blue Hasami Porcelain pieces stack perfectly with each other and the rest of the larger Hasami line.