Everything Begins with a Precise "Mold"

The process of making Hasami ware does not start by kneading clay, but from an exceptionally intellectual stage that determines the product's final quality. This is the creation of the plaster "mold," which becomes the prototype for mass production.

There are craftsmen, known as "Kataya," who specialize in this process. Their job is to faithfully translate the designer’s drawings into three-dimensional reality.

Clay shrinks by 11% to 14% in the firing process. The mold maker must precisely calculate this shrinkage in advance and design a mold that is one size larger than the finished piece. Even a slight warp of the rim or the delicate curve of the foot directly influences how easy the final product is to use, as well as its beauty.

It is no exaggeration to say that the quality of the mold determines the quality of the product itself. It is in this first step that Hasami ware's identity emerges—not merely as craftwork, but as industrial products built on precise design philosophy. The fate of the thousands, or even tens of thousands, of pieces to be born all rests in the hands of a single mold.