About

UGUiSU is an independent online store offering a carefully curated selection of goods from artisans and small makers — delivered directly from Japan to the world.

Founded in Tokyo in 2009 and now based in the craft town of Mashiko, we source unique items that carry cultural meaning, traditional craftsmanship, and everyday beauty — from paper goods and textiles to tableware and jewellery. These are pieces of our native Japan, specially curated for international customers.

Each item is made with care, never mass-produced, and many are available exclusively through our store for international sales. We’re proud to introduce our favourite makers to the world.

Thank you for visiting — we hope you discover something special here that brings joy to you or a loved one.

Arigato,
Hikaru Komura (aka Hiki)

UGUISU is pronounced [ oo・goo・ee・sue ].
It’s the name of a Japanese bird known for its enchanting song, which is considered a sign of spring's arrival in Japan.

WHERE WE ARE BASED

At the end of 2019, we closed our physical store after seven wonderful years in the beautiful, historic building in the Azabudai-Roppongi district of Tokyo, where we had the pleasure of welcoming many lovely visitors from around the world. In early 2020, just before the pandemic began, we moved from our hometown of Tokyo to the small country town of Mashiko in Tochigi Prefecture, located 100km north of Tokyo.

Mashiko is known as one of Japan's major pottery towns and is considered the Mecca of Mingei (Japanese folk art). The town is home to nearly 400 independent artists who have moved here from all over Japan.

While we currently do not have a physical storefront, we operate exclusively as an online store, working closely with individual artists and small makers. From this beautiful, nature-surrounded town filled with creative people, we continue to introduce pieces of Japan to the world.

WORKING WITH ARTISTS

Over the years, we have had the privilege of collaborating with many incredible artists from around the world. These collaborations are something we truly enjoy and value. Here are some of the amazing talents we've had the pleasure of working with:

Hana Akiyama, Michelle Mackintosh, Flora Waycott, Beci Orpin, Alice Oehr, Mary Gaudin, Hanna Konola, Grace Lee, Renilde de Peuter, Natsuko Kozue, Ros Lee, Isabelle Boinot, EARTH.ROPE.POT.PLANT, Good Morning Birds, Emma Cassi, Justine Wong.

We've also hosted Pop-Up events, including one at T-Site Daikanyama in Tokyo in 2015, and another in 2016 at The Boroughs in Melbourne, Australia — with special thanks to the wonderful store owner, Alasdair MacKinnon.