Chopsticks & rest
A chopstick rest is the smallest piece on the table. It gives two sticks a small place of their own.
Being small is exactly why it is the easiest handmade piece to live with. It is the right size for a gift, cheap enough to experiment with, and the first thing guests pick up and turn over. Carved shinogi in black, or a row of small animals. If you are choosing Japanese pottery for the first time, this is the easiest place to start.
It is also the cheapest way to find out whether handmade pottery suits you. Small, light and safe in transit, so it travels well too. If you are assembling a table from scratch, the five pieces to start with puts them in order. For gifts, see choosing Japanese pottery as a present.
