If the serenity of trickling water and the faint smell of hinoki incense wafting through the air doesn’t clue you in, Japan exists in Philadelphia at a store named Rikumo. Founded by Japanese couple Kaz and Yuka Morihata, whose backgrounds are in architecture and interior design, Rikumo opened in 2009 as an online store dedicated to bringing smart, high-quality Japanese housewares to the U.S. These days you can pick up brass bottle openers and sleek matte-black graters at the brick-and-mortar location while you sip on asatsuyu from the shop’s organic green tea line—served to you just for walking through the door.
Objects that make it into Rikumo "embody some innate Japanese quality," said Magali Roman, a staffer at the Philly store. Most of the time, it's as simple as bringing a ubiquitous Japanese houseware to U.S. customers. For instance, Rikumo carries a square copper pan that all families have making omelets in Japan, but few people have here. The Rikumo version has contemporary flourishes that make it as much a design piece as it is practical, but that's the point. "We don't want to carry overly traditional, kitschy things," said Roman. "It should be something that you can use and understand whether you're from the U.S., Germany, wherever—and it shouldn't only be fit for a museum." Most of all, Rikumo sells homewares that are quiet in their beauty, both subtle and tasteful. Here's how to get the look at home.
- Futagami Bottle Opener. You could open your bottles with the keychain opener imprinted with your local liquor store's logo, or you could give one of these geometric golden openers a whirl. "I recently threw a party, and when I left it on the table, everybody picked it up," said Roman. "It's simple at first, but there's something about it that makes you look twice."
- Towels. Customers go gaga over Rikumo’s towels. They’re slimmer and more compact than picnic-blanket-sized terrycloth towels—yet also somehow more absorbent. "I can't go back to scratchy American towels anymore," Roman joked, adding that they take some getting used to. One added perk: She swears they won't tangle your hair.
- Banko Yaki Ceramics. Spoons, plates, and rice cookers made the style of Japan's Miya prefecture take on a decided elegance in muted earth tones. "Because they're handmade, every piece is unique and different. Not every piece is perfect, and that's kind of important. They're as imperfect as the people who made them," Roman said.
- FD Style Kitchen Prep Tools. Average stainless steel tools—even graters—look sleek and sophisticated when they're coated in this strong matte black resin. Plus, they're really easy to clean.
- Asatsuyu and Genmaicha Tea. Rikumo sources its own organic teas from Japan, and its new concept store has an approachable tea bar that'll give you the primer you need on the different types. Roman loves Rikumo's Genmaicha, a green tea and toasted rice blend she loves for those snack slumps around 4 p.m., and the Asatsuyu, which "tastes more like a broth than tea," she said. "It's so complex that you have to slow down and take your time with it. It's a great way to regain the civility of savoring something without distraction."
1) Your towels deserve love too. "When selecting the color and texture of towels, think of the mood you want to experience everyday," she said. "It's like selecting the right scent of soap or candle: Imagine what will help you relax after a long day." Whether your style is vintage French picnic chic or back-to-basics minimalism, the slim and lightweight gauze towels at Rikumo are luxurious and delicate at the same time.
2) Hardware details are too often overlooked. "Be particular about the details for your hardware—shape, color, finish—especially for the things you touch every day," said Yuka. "Knowing that they are the right ones for you will give you peace of mind when you're home." As in, you could have standard metal hooks, or you could have these.
3) Large dishes > small dishes. "Always keep big serving bowls and plates, so you can be ready to entertain friends and family," she said. If you don't have them at home, it's just another barrier that's preventing you from gathering all of your favorite people in one room for a meal.