A couple of notable updates in the shop this week. We replaced the E27 lights in our kitchen with mouth blown pendants designed by Alvar Aalto. I think they would look brilliant in a kitchen or in a bathroom, the shape is so iconic but the opal glass adds a nice softness.

We also received new handmade cutting boards by Tomiyama Takakazu. I’ve admired these cutting boards for a long time and I’m honored to be able to bring them to our shop. The boards are made of Japanese walnut, Chestnut, and oak, and finished with a house made concoction containing fish oil. It smells really good.

An exhibition showing Tomiyama Takakazu’s work in Japan.

A shot of the entire kitchen with the lights on.

We’re excited to announce we have received our shipment of Masakage and Norio Tanno products that we ordered when we visited their studio in February. We’re the only store carrying these new products in North America, so if you are interested in ordering anything in this post please send us an email.

We will have a new online store debuting soon, so until then we won’t be adding these to the current website.

Items starting from the top left of the above photo:

Leather iPhone sleeve by Kenton Sorensen
Leather coin case from Sapporo
Georg Jensen key ring
Nendo comma and period paper weights
Ebony card case by Masakage Tanno
Cherry toothpick holder
Wrap Wrap headphone wire keeper
Masakage Tanno maple pencil case
Braun calculator
Mucu blank notebook

All items except for the Braun calculator and coin case are available from Mjölk.

A video at the Masakage workshop, unfortunately I had as much charisma as a wet blanket.

The new collection centers around the push button mechanism made entirely out of wood except for a single metal spring. I am also happy to announce that Masakage Tanno recently came in 1st place at the Takaoka Crafts competition.  Take a look at the new collection:

Cherry toothpick holder $145

Maple and Ebony card holder $165 / $175

Ebony and padauk card case and our Kitka business card.

Maple and ebony pencil and pen holder $200

The classic oak and walnut business card case $98, we’ve been proudly carrying these since our first day open.

Getting to see a little of Norio Tanno’s brilliance.

We were lucky enough to get a couple Norio Tanno tea canisters in the store. They are meticulously made and you can stare at all of the tiny intricacies for hours. The tea canisters are displayed in many museums around the world–Norio Tanno is a master craftsman and these pieces are an amazing example of his technical woodworking skills. Available in Japanese ash $650 or ebony $750.

Inlays and tea scoop in padauk wood, tea chamber made from Japanese maple.

Yesterday Grant and Ben from the Black Hoof stopped by the store, and they were nice enough to give us some wild onions they had just picked.

I cleaned them up and thought our Sori Yanagi cast iron grill was the perfect vessel to cook them up. Grant said that the best way to cook them is under a charcoal fire, but cooked on the stove top with butter and a little salt and pepper is delicious.

More product placement: the Sori Yanagi tongs. Best tongs ever.

We picked up some house made sausages from Butcher by Nature (Annette & Runnymede) and beets and turnips from The Sweet Potato. Nothing fancy.

The onions were sweet and delicious, thanks Grant & Ben!