Since we can no longer travel outside the borders of this big island called Australia (except to that other small group of islands, New Zealand), we have been restrained to visual reminders of the world around us. That’s why Utuswa – Japanese objects for everyday use has arrived at such a perfect time, helping us to travel to destinations not yet visited (sans the actually travelling component) or perhaps even help us relive fond memories from past travels. The authors, sisters Kylie (a ceramic artist, gallery owner and writer) and Tiffany (who has a solid background in book production) have travelled to Japan together and separately for over fifteen years. In 2017, they started Kyoto Creative Tours, which (pre-COVID) took small groups of tourists on bespoke tours of studios, markets and galleries of Kyoto.

This passion for Japanese culture and art, their combined professional backgrounds and more specifically, their love of Japanese ceramics, led the pair to write Utuswa – Japanese objects for everyday use. The book takes the reader behind the scenes into the private studios of some of Japan’s most exciting artisans to reveal stories of material, method, place and culture. A love letter to the makers and sellers of Japanese craft, Utsuwa acts as an intimate guide through vibrant galleries and colourful marketplaces and introduces us to colourful characters and the art they create. Keen to add this gem to your library? You can buy a signed copy of Utuswa – Japanese objects for everyday use here or at Kylie’s boutique ceramic studio, paper boat press, in Ashgrove.