Sometsuke, Underglaze blue porcelain, Moomin, amabro

Nostalgic and new! Sometsuke tableware by Moomin × amabro

Moomin has attracted people around the world.
Cute characters from Finland appear in Japanese representative porcelain, Arita ware!

These blue and white tableware is “SOMETSUKE” series from Moomin × amabro.
With popular technique of Sometsuke, the world of Moomin is expressed.

Sometsuke tableware has been worldwide popular as “Blue and White”.
Cute characters of Moomin harmonize in the world of Sometsuke. Traditional but unique Sometsuke tableware will color our life.

Tableware sets of amabro are within cute gift boxes. How about selecting the Moomin tableware for gifts?

What is Sometsuke?

Sometsuke tableware has beautiful and impressive shades of blue.
Sometsuke, or underglaze blue porcelain is a kind of techniques of ceramics. Also, the tableware made with this technique is called “Sometsuke.”

In Sometsuke, craftsmen paint Sita-etsuke with Gosu on white porcelain. Shita-etsuke means painting ceramics before putting glaze and baking.
Gosu is a cobalt-type pigment. So, Sometsuke is underglaze blue porcelain.
Sometsuke plates have beautiful contrast of blue and white. Also, the paintings have gentle gradation like watercolors.

Sometsuke was started in 14th century in Jingdezhen in China.
In response to the popularity of Jingdezhen porcelain, craftsmen in Arita started to produce the blue and white porcelain in 16th century.

The plates and cups of SOMETSUKE series of Moomin × amabro revived traditional motifs in Arita porcelain in Edo era (about 300~350 years ago) or Ko-Imari.

As often seen in Arita porcelain, the paintings are dynamically composed while making the best use of blank space. With traditional beauty of Sometsuke tableware, gentle world of Moomin characters are expressed.
Simple color tableware work for dinner every day.

SOMETSUKE series by Moomin × amabro

SOMETSUKE series by Moomin × amabro has 2 types, small plates and soba choko cups. We recommend sets of cute Moomin tableware as well.

1. Moomin × amabro “SOMETSUKE” Small plates

   Small plates of SOMETSUKE series are stylish Arita ware plates. You can enjoy nostalgic atmosphere of Moomin world and Japanese traditional technique.

   There are 5 patterns. Small plates work for cake, individual plates, or sauce plates.

   

   1. Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE “Forest”

      In “Forest” plate of underglaze blue porcelain, we can see Little My and Snufkin. Surrounded with gently carved plants, Little My and Snufkin spend time in their own ways.
      If you like the tableware of British porcelain brand “WEDGWOOD”, you may also like this plants plate with beautiful gradation of blue.

      

   2. Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE “Fishing”

      In “Fishing” plate of underglaze blue porcelain, Snufkin and Moomintroll enjoy fishing. They are gazing floats carefully. In a perspective scenery, Moomintroll and Snufkin fit well. This Sometsuke plate has cute accent of iron glaze at the rim of plate.

      

   3. Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE “Swimming”

      In “Swimming” plate of underglaze blue porcelain, Moomintroll is swimming. He wears cute stripe swimming pant. The fish is Ayu (sweetfish). Ayu was often drawn in Sometsuke of Arita porcelain in Edo era.
      Since this “Swimming” plates express the underwater, this plate is coated with light blue glaze.

      

   4. Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE “Playing”

      In “Playing” plate of underglaze blue porcelain, Snufkin and Little My is running. The characters are drawn very lively.
      This plate Sometsuke has cute accent of iron glaze at the rim of plate.

      

   5. Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE “Snow Mountain”

      In “Snow Mountain” plate of underglaze blue porcelain, Snorkmaiden rides a horse and Mymble rides on the sleigh. They are running through broad snowfield.
      If you like Year Plate of Denmark porcelain brand “ROYAL COPENHAGEN,” you may also like this design.

      

2. Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE Choko cups

   Choko cups of SOMETSUKE series are traditional Arita ware cups. The motif comes from Japanese traditional auspicious pattern “Sho-Chiku-Bai.” Sho-Chiku-Bai is composed of 3 Japanese plants, Matsu (pine tree). Take (bamboo) and Ume (Japanese plum).

   The Sometsuke cups have cute and traditional pattern on smooth surface of Arita porcelain. In addition to the use as soba choko cup (a cup for sauce when we eat soba), you can use the cups as teacups or dessert cups.

   Since the patterns have auspicious meanings, the cups work when you celebrate something.

   

   This Sometsuke cup has slightly rounded form. Unique color of Sometsuke and gentle form suit the world of Moomin.
   Also, please look at the inside of the cups! You can see a hand painted line near rim, and pattern of Sho-Chiku-Bai at the bottom of the cup.

   

   1. Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE “Holiday” Matsu

      In “Holiday” choko cup of underglaze blue porcelain, you can see a fine pine tree. On the root of Matsu, Moominpappa and Moominmamma are sitting. On the other side of the cup, you can see some Hattifatteners.
      We can feel slow time in the Moomin world from this cup.

      

   2. Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE “Hide and seek” Take

      In “Hide and seek” choko cup of underglaze blue porcelain, you can see Moomintroll, Little My and Snufkin. They are playing hide and seek among bamboo forest. Moomintroll seems to try to hide, but it seems he fails.
      We can imagine the scene from this Sometsuke cup.

      

   3. Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE “Playtime” Ume

      In “Playtime” choko cup of underglaze blue porcelain, Snorkmaiden, Mymble and Primadonna’s horse are running. The background of them is Hyouretsu-mon and Ume flowers. Hyouretsu-mon expresses the situation of breaking ice. After ice breaks, plum flowers blooms and spring comes soon. We can feel the coming of spring from this Sometsuke cup.

      

Look at the backside of plates and cups!

Please do not miss the backside of Sometsuke plates!
At the backside of underglaze blue porcelain plates, we can find Stinky!

At the bottom of Sometsuke cups, we can find Sofusu.

Perfect combination of Nordic life of Moomin and Japanese Sometsuke

Moomin and friends live in “Moominvalley.” The Moominvalley is surrounded with rich nature. In the east, there are the Lonely Mountains. In the north, there are thick growth of lilac and forest. Passing through the forest leads to the sea.

One of the feature of Moomin’s stories is the Moominvalley often suffered natural disaster from nature. Tove Jansson, the author of Moomin wrote not only the life of Moomin friends, but also the coexistence with harsh and beautiful nature.

Motifs of nature has been loved and used in Sometsuke tableware of Japanese Arita porcelain. Pine tree, bamboo, plum flowers, mountain, and fish. We can see traditional motifs in the Moomin Sometsuke tableware.

Now, we can find something in common with Finnish Moomin and Japanese Sometsuke. Both respect and love the beauty of nature. That is why Moomin and his friend suit naturally with Arita porcelain.

Cute original package of Moomin goods

Products of amabro are characterized by cute package design.
The set of 5 small plates “SOMETSUKE BOX SET” is a tableware set of 5 different plates. This set is within a cute box of Moominhouse.
How about displaying this house with Sometsuke plates?

Also, the “SOMETSUKE Choko 3 cups set” is within blue box. Moomin friends are gilt in silver color.

Pair set of SOMETSUKE cups has exclusive paulownia box of amabro.

Moomin tableware within cute boxes are suitable for wedding gifts, housewarming gifts, or birthday gifts for Moomin lovers.

Moomin tableware of Arita ware for gifts

SOMETSUKE series of Moomin × amabro is a stylish tableware set. These sets are perfect fusion of Japanese traditional beauty and contemporary aesthetic sense. Unique and traditional underglaze blue porcelain would be great present, too.

For birthday gifts, wedding gifts, housewarming gifts, or gifts for Moomin lovers, high-class Moomin goods make people happy.

Especially for Moomin lovers, high-class Moomin goods are suitable. As for Moomin goods, the Moomin mug from Arabia has been famous. But it is common. With this SOMETSUKE series, people can enjoy cute Moomin characters in Japanese traditional porcelain.

Moomin tableware set of JAPAN Kutani × SOMETSUKE

Japan Design Store prepares original sets with 2 plates of “JAPAN Kutani-GOSAI-” and 2 cups of “Moomin × amabro SOMETSUKE.”
You can enjoy 2 different Japanese traditional crafts with this set.

The original sets are within Japan Design Store original gift boxes. On the elegant white box, gold logo mark shines.

You can send cute Moomin goods to faraway friends in all over the world.
Stylish tableware sets of Moomin will tell your warm thought to the recipients.

See Moomin series

Quiet sign of winter, Illustrations of Moomin on Mashiko pottery

[amabro] Unique illustrations of novels of Moomin become a plate. Cute Moomin characters by Tove Jansson are expressed on plates of Mashiko pottery. Simple Mashiko pottery plates have quiet sign of winter.

Moomin friends in SOMETSUKE of Arita ware

[amabro] In traditional world of Sometsuke of Arita porcelain, Moomin appears! Moomin characters are painted in gently blue paintings on the underglaze blue porcelain. Cute friends of Moominvalley make us happy. Please also look at the delicate drawing of nature.

Moomin world meets Japan Kutani

[amabro]Unique collaboration with Japanese traditional Kutani ware with worldwide famous character Moomin. Kutani plates set of traditional 5 colors are elegant Moomin goods for adult. Please enjoy original world of amabro.