What KINTO Tokyo is known for
KINTO makes understated Japanese tableware and coffee gear, with a "MARK IT" service that engraves pieces to order. Its Futo textile line and its own KINTO Farm herbal teas extend the same everyday-ritual design brief beyond the table.
KINTO was founded in 1972 in Hikone, Shiga, by Hideo Koide, originally as a wholesaler of porcelain and ceramic tableware rather than a design brand. The shift toward original product design came gradually: from the mid-1990s, recognizing a growing market for tableware suited to modern, pared-down living, the company began developing its own lines instead of only distributing others'. That transition produced the aesthetic KINTO is now known for -- functional glass and ceramic pieces, pour-over drippers, tumblers, and coffee accessories built around quiet, everyday use rather than display. The company has remained family-owned since founding, with Koide's sons continuing to run it, and its global footprint has grown steadily since 2010, with dedicated KINTO Europe (2016) and KINTO USA (2019) operations extending the brand well beyond Japan. Alongside tableware and drinkware, KINTO now also runs its own herbal tea farm and offers custom engraving through its "MARK IT BY KINTO" personalization service. The brand's stated design philosophy centers on comfort that feels natural in daily use while quietly adding color and depth to a space -- an unusually literal expression, for a five-decade-old wholesaler turned design house, of function driving form rather than the reverse.
How ORBIS reads this city
Best for — Understated, functional Japanese tableware and coffee pourover gear from a family-run maker
More in Tokyo
- ozie — Tokyo
- A Bathing Ape (BAPE) — Tokyo
- Akihabara — Tokyo
- Ameyoko — Tokyo
- Anatomica — Tokyo
- and Wander — Tokyo
- At Last & Co — Tokyo
- Auralee — Tokyo
Where next
- Pilgrim Surf+Supply — Tokyo
- Glottman — United States
- Karaca — Istanbul
Hand-curated for ORBIS · no paid placement