Is Hasami Porcelain dishwasher safe? Care and stain removal

Short answer: yes on both counts. Hasami Porcelain is dishwasher safe and microwave safe. The longer answer is that two of the three finishes are unglazed, and unglazed porcelain marks over time. This page covers what to expect from each finish, what to avoid, and how to lift a stain when one sets.

What the body is made of

The range is a blend of porcelain and clay rather than pure porcelain. The body is mixed from Amakusa stone quarried near Hasami, in Nagasaki, which is what gives the unglazed pieces their dry, lightly textured surface and their weight in the hand. It fires dense, so the pieces resist chipping under daily use, but the surface stays open unless it is glazed.

Dishwasher and microwave

All three finishes go in the dishwasher. Skip abrasive cleansers and scouring pads, which will dull the gloss gray glaze and roughen the unglazed surfaces. The wooden trays are the exception: hand wash and dry them straight away.

All three finishes go in the microwave. Do not heat a piece empty. With no liquid in it, the body can heat unevenly and crack.

None of the range is made for the oven or an open flame.

How each finish ages

Three finishes run through the range, and they behave differently.

Natural is fired without a glaze, so the raw body stays exposed and the surface reads dry and lightly textured. It takes on marks from coffee, tea and oils, and darkens gradually with use.

Matte black is colored with pigment and also left unglazed, with the same stone-like surface. Marks show less than on natural because the body is dark, but oils and acidic food still leave a visible patina.

Gloss gray carries a clear glaze, giving a smooth, reflective face with faint dark flecks. It is the finish to choose if you want the pieces to look the same in five years as they do today.

Removing coffee and oil marks

Coffee and oil marks show most on the unglazed natural and matte black finishes, since neither has a glaze sealing the surface. Make a paste of baking soda and water, spread it over the mark, cover it with a damp paper towel and leave it for about an hour. Rinse with hot water and mild dish soap. Deeper marks may need a second pass. Avoid bleach and citrus-based cleaners, which can lighten the unglazed body unevenly.

The range

Every piece shares one diameter, so the range stacks and any plate doubles as a lid. The mugs come in three sizes. The plates and bowls run from small side pieces up to ten inches, and there is a taller bowl with straight sides for noodles and grains. An oak tray closes over a mug or bowl as a lid, or sits under it as a coaster. For where the range comes from and how the town makes it, read Hasami ware: 400 years of porcelain from Nagasaki.

Hasami Porcelain is built to be used daily and to age visibly while doing it. The unglazed finishes darken and mark over time, which is expected rather than a fault. Knowing which finish behaves which way, and how to lift a stain, is most of what you need. KANSO is an authorized US retailer and ships from US stock. Browse the Hasami Porcelain collection.

Common questions

Is the mug microwave safe?

Yes. Make sure there is liquid in the mug before it goes in.

Where is it made?

In the town of Hasami, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, using a divided-labor system in which separate workshops handle the clay, the forming, the glazing and the firing.