Our Story
はじめまして — Hajimemashite
We’re Taro and Kenji—two childhood friends from 熊本 Kumamoto who never start the day without a slow cup of coffee or a bowl of 抹茶 matcha. In our hometown, clay runs through daily life: neighbors collect local 焼き物 yakimono, cafés switch cups to match the season, and quiet moments happen over handcrafted vessels. That reverence for humble objects still shapes everything we do.
空の下で感じた空白 — The Void Abroad
Three years ago we traded Kyushu’s humid summers for Europe’s cobblestone streets. We loved the energy, but the grab-and-go culture left us longing for home. No one paused to feel the warmth of a 手捏ね tenone mug or whisk tea in a 茶碗 chawan. Without those rituals, our days felt unfinished.
ニルミの芽生え — The Seed of Nirumi
One rainy evening we brewed sencha in the lone 急須 kyūsu we had carried across continents and asked, “どうやってこの静かな幸せを届けようか—How can we share this quiet joy?” That question became Nirumi (にるみ): our promise to bring thoughtfully crafted Japanese pottery—and the feelings it inspires—to anyone who craves a slower sip.
小さく始める — Starting Small
Our “studio” was a kitchen table. We joined night classes at a local ceramics coop, ruining plenty of clay while learning to center on the wheel. Friends back in Kyushu guided us, and a family kiln in 南阿蘇 Minami-Aso fired our first batch: simple tea cups and a hefty coffee mug. We photographed them under desk lamps, launched a one-page site, and celebrated our first order with an embarrassingly loud banzai.
心を束ねる三本柱 — What Guides Us
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伝統 Dentō — Tradition
Each piece nods to Kumamoto’s earthy glazes or the subtle asymmetry of wabi-sabi. -
持続可能 Jizoku Kanō — Sustainability
Durable clay, natural glazes, recycled packing—vessels meant to outlast trends. -
職人技 Shokunin-waza — Craftsmanship
Real hands shape every curve; slight variations prove the maker’s touch.
これから — Where We’re Going
Nirumi remains just the two of us—packing boxes, answering every email, and sketching new forms that blend modern lines with 千年の知恵 sennen no chie (a thousand years of wisdom). Next: spotlighting lesser-known regional kilns and, one day, opening a 小さな工房 chiisana kōbō where anyone can share tea, spin clay, and feel time slow down.
Every sip from a Nirumi piece carries a fragment of Kumamoto’s hills, a dash of European adventure, and the hope that handmade objects can still connect us—one cup at a time.
