Interview by Haruko Kohno
Photographs courtesy of Mika Sakai
On this small plate decorated with zigzag motifs in soft pink and beige, perhaps I’ll serve a cake. The main meat dish should sit well on the generously sized square plate, patterned with rhythmic arrow-feather designs in pale lavender and olive green. I’ll serve the potato salad in the shallow bowl with a classic checkered pattern, and present my fancy appetizer on the striped rectangular plate…
Every time I sit down for a meal or a snack, I find myself imagining playful combinations with these dishes and bowls, each adorned with familiar traditional motifs or dynamic geometric patterns rendered in modern color palettes.
Welcome to the world of irodorigama. Instantly recognizable, these tableware items embrace a distinct warmth and charm that spark the desire to collect. You can match them by pattern or by shape—or mix them freely. While every piece is different, the plates and cups come together in harmony through their earthy textures and distinctive designs, creating a cohesive and delightful world.
Left: combining colored slabs of clay to create a fish-scale pattern
Right: placing the sheet of clay onto a mold to create the shape
The maker behind irodorigama is ceramicist Mika Sakai, who runs her studio in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka prefecture. She employs a technique known as nerikomi, in which different colored slabs of clay are layered with one another, sliced into sheets, then shaped atop a mold to create an item with intricate patterns.
Nerikomi is often likened to kintaro-ame (Japanese candy with the same picture running through every slice), rolled sushi, or parquetry, in which patterns of repetition and order emerge by slicing through a cross-section. The nerikomi technique is said to have originated in ancient China but the details remain unclear. Mika explains, “What I aim for is to carry on ancient traditions in a pop and modern way—creating tableware that can be used casually, with a kind of fashion sensibility.”
Looking back at the origins of her creative practice, Mika recalls that she loved colors and patterns from a young age. For example, she remembers drawing geometric designs with a compass in art class and making a pot mat adorned with a traditional hemp-leaf pattern.
After high school, she moved onto a fashion school and later worked in the apparel industry for a short while, but found herself unable to envision a future there. Returning to her hometown in Shizuoka, she took an office job at her family’s company, but still felt the urge to pursue a creative career. It was around this time that she began attending a ceramics class.
Above: arranging the slabs of clay to create a checkered pattern
“I still clearly remember the shock of encountering the nerikomi technique,” she says. “I felt that with this method, I could express everything I had loved—colors, patterns, all of it.”
While continuing her weekday job, Mika spent weekends at the studio, eventually becoming an assistant there. Gradually, she began presenting her work at craft fairs, where buyers from department stores and galleries took notice.
Backed by a foundation in fashion, Mika possesses an outstanding sense of color. Although most are repeated geometric patterns, there are subtle irregularities in the lines that bring a touch of handcraft to her art. Her free-spirited approach that lightly overturns the conventions of traditional Japanese tableware has won the support of many, which led her to launch her own brand, irodorigama in 2010.
Mika draws inspiration from everything she sees. The walls of her home are adorned with items with an ethnic feel, for example, foreign kilims. She also takes note of clothing fabrics, floor tiles, brickwork patterns, old architectural fittings—anything that catches her eye is quickly recorded in notes or photographs. She sketches patterns using Excel or combines patterns in her mind. Translating this expanding world of inspiration into plates, bowls, square dishes and mugs, she works daily all by herself in the studio adjacent to her home.
To describe the concept behind irodorigama’s tableware, Mika uses a distinct phrase──“parading the table.” It conjures a charming image of tableware dancing cheerfully across the dining table.
“I believe food should be enjoyed with the eyes as well,” she says. “We can’t always prepare elaborate meals every day. Even so, simply serving store-bought dishes or arranging freshly cut vegetables on colorful plates can instantly enliven the table. I hope my work can help in that small way.”
For Mika, the act of making is always exciting and filled with joyful anticipation. She speaks of exploring other materials in the near future and hopes to continue pushing boundaries with her expression as she believes the craft has no age limits. “I want to keep creating things that make me feel excited,” she says.
Take a moment to imagine the irodorigama tableware parading across the table. Colorful and charming, they are sure to spark small moments of joy throughout our everyday lives.
Mika Sakai
Founder of irodorigama which specializes in the nerikomi technique. Lives and works in Fujinomiya city, Shizuoka prefecture. Mika’s art blends various traditional patterns from around the world with Japanese color sensibilities and pop expressions. She holds monthly exhibitions alongside commissioned works and continues to attract a devoted following.
For the latest news, visit her Instagram account.
Instagram：
https://www.instagram.com/irodorigama/
Upcoming exhibition
February 13 (Fri) – February 19 (Thurs), 2026
Hands Nagoya 9th Floor, Toki to Kurasu shop