Food and drink are art forms in Japan, and Hirota considers glassware as central to the experience. Since 1899 Hirota has approached each piece as an individual work of art, fusing Japanese aesthetic traditions and European glass-blowing techniques for a handcrafted product that exudes creativity and care. All of which are still created in Tokyo.

For nearly a century, Namiki has perfected its specialised, globally admired Maki-e fountain pens, which are individually handmade by “Kokkokai” – a talented group of Maki-e artisans which assembled in 1931. Using traditional Japanese craftsmanship and age-old techniques such as lacquer work, each writing tool is hand-finished with sprinklings of gold, silver and shells using a Kebo brush.

Takaoka-born brand Futagami has been creating contemporary brass livingware since 1897. The Japanese foundry melts solid brass into liquid to form tactile objects, from Buddhist altar equipment to chopstick rests. Sand-casted moulds and a crude-cast finish define Futagami’s unparalleled aesthetic, which is renowned for its rich patina that develops over time due to the brass oxidation process.