Why We Started "Meguri Ware™"
1. Welcoming Your Favorite Dinnerware with Peace of Mind as You Start a New Chapter
Whether it's marriage, cohabitation, moving, or starting a new hobby, when we reach a turning point in our lives or simply wish to make our daily lives a little more refined, we begin to search for "things to share our future with."
The dining table we use every day, the lighting that illuminates our rooms, and the tableware that graces our daily meals. The moment we welcome into our lives artisanal dinnerware meticulously crafted by skilled hands, or stylish Japanese tableware from historic production areas, fills us with an unparalleled sense of excitement.
However, when you pick up your favorite dinnerware, haven't you ever felt a small hint of anxiety or conflict deep down, like this:
"It's absolutely beautiful, but what if I move in a few years and the atmosphere of my dining room changes, and it no longer fits?" "If my life stage changes, my family grows, or my interior design preferences shift, what will happen to this dinnerware?"
The phrase "a lifetime item" sounds lovely. However, our lifestyles are constantly changing and diversifying. It's only natural that the comfortable spaces and dining experiences we desire also evolve with these changes.
'Meguri Ware™,' proposed by us at Maison Toji, is not merely a disposal service for unwanted dinnerware.
It is a system designed to allow you to wholeheartedly welcome your favorite dinnerware – those pieces that resonate with your aesthetic and desire to use them right now – to your table with complete peace of mind, free from anxiety or constraints about future changes. The joy of choosing exquisite handcrafted items, combined with the lightness of adapting to change. A new lifestyle proposal, where both coexist, begins here.
2. What everyday life in Ireland taught us: The richness of loving objects and gracefully circulating them
The inspiration for this unique circular system comes from the days when Maison Toji's representative stayed in Ireland.
Walking through the streets of Ireland, you see many "charity shops" that are simply part of the everyday landscape. These shops functioned as more than just second-hand clothing or recycle stores; they were crossroads for community members.
High-quality furniture someone cherished but no longer suited their current life, beautiful clothes no longer worn, and tasteful dinnerware maintained with precision. These items were brought into the shops as a matter of course, meticulously prepared by professionals, and then discovered by the next person with eyes as if searching for treasure, happily inheriting them.
There, in an age overflowing with objects, a rich and comfortable culture of circulation had taken root: using good items with affection, and then gracefully passing them on to the next person once their role was fulfilled. The scene, where both those bringing items in and those welcoming new ones felt pride and joy, deeply impressed the representative.
"Couldn't this beautiful culture of cherishing objects and passing on the baton be realized in Japan's wonderful world of crafts and dinnerware?"
The pure desire to create a system where the magnificent ceramics crafted with soul by Japanese artisans do not lose their purpose due to changes in the user's lifestyle, but rather circulate beautifully like in the towns of Ireland, became the driving force behind Maison Toji.
3. The "resource depletion" and "disposal reality" surrounding ceramics
However, behind the beauty of traditional Japanese crafts and ceramics lie two severe and pressing "realities" that cannot be dismissed by mere aesthetics.
From a macro perspective, the biggest challenge is the "raw material depletion problem" for dinnerware. Even in pottery production areas with hundreds of years of history, the high-quality clay and ceramic stone that form the foundation of dinnerware are not infinite. Even with superb craftsmanship, artisans face the harsh reality that the earth's resources needed to create these forms are dwindling year by year.
And another challenge, from a micro perspective, is the "disposal problem" that we face daily. Once fired at high temperatures, ceramics do not easily decompose like plastic or paper, nor do they return to the earth naturally. Consequently, most dinnerware that has served its purpose is generally categorized as "non-burnable waste," and the reality is that the majority of it ultimately ends up in landfills across various regions.
When launching the Maison Toji brand, we conducted interviews and surveys with 98 individuals aged 20 to 60. What emerged was a conflict experienced by consumers, as follows:
"Even if my lifestyle or preferences change and the dinnerware no longer suits my table, I feel a strong sense of guilt and resistance to throwing away cherished items as trash."
Indeed, 70% of respondents felt this "resistance to letting go." This was not only due to emotional reasons like "the items hold the maker's and my own feelings," but also because of realistic hurdles unique to modern consumers, such as "it's not profitable (doesn't sell) even if listed on flea market apps," "it requires time and effort for packing and shipping," and "concerns about environmental issues."
Production regions worry about the future of raw materials, and users are troubled by various hurdles when letting go of items. The representative believed that this contradiction between makers and users needed to be fundamentally resolved as a business structure, not just as "environmental consideration (greenwashing)" for marketing purposes.
Therefore, the representative pursued an MBA, exploring and researching sustainable retail models through a management and economic approach. The goal was to eliminate the psychological and physical burden users face when letting go, and to protect the resources of production regions. The business model that emerged at the intersection of academic logic and affection for objects is the Meguri Ware™ circular return system.
4. Fulfilling Senses, Connecting to the Future. The Mechanism of the 'Meguri Ware™' Circular Return System
What Maison Toji values above all else is not to be a brand chosen simply "because it's sustainable." We prioritize being a select shop that sells the highest quality dinnerware, beautifully complementing contemporary sophisticated interiors and modern dining tables, and fundamentally, a "lifestyle brand."
We offer a wide range of carefully selected modern and contemporary high-quality ceramics with our unique aesthetic, including "Tamba ware" from Hyogo, one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns, known for its rustic yet modern appeal; "Bizen ware" from Okayama, an art of earth and fire; and "Vintage Kutani ware," which continues to adorn spaces with vibrant colors through time.
We sell attractive tableware that genuinely makes you think, "I want to eat with this dinnerware," and on top of that, we provide a circular option, 'Meguri Ware™,' for all our dinnerware. The mechanism is extremely simple and comfortable for the user.
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Choose and Purchase Dinnerware: Welcome dinnerware that resonates with your current sensibilities from Maison Toji's physical store or online shop.
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Use in Daily Life: Cherish it in your daily life as an important tool for arranging daily meals and beautifully decorating your dining table.
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Life Changes: In a few years, a time will come when your dining style or the size of dinnerware you need changes due to moving, marriage, changes in family structure, etc.
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Return Dinnerware: At that time, instead of disposing of it as trash, you can release the dinnerware by "returning" it, either by bringing it to a Maison Toji store or by sending it via delivery.
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Points are Returned: Depending on the condition of the returned dinnerware, points (up to 20%) will be returned, which can be used when acquiring new dinnerware.
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To the Next Owner: The returned dinnerware will be cleaned and, if necessary, undergo appropriate maintenance such as kintsugi or repair, and then circulate back to the dining table of the "next user."
Through these steps, you can continuously update your beautiful lifestyle, always optimized for your current self, without the guilt of waste or the hassle of disposal.
※ Important Request Regarding 'Meguri Ware™' Use
This system is a program designed to help you welcome dinnerware with peace of mind. Please keep the following points in mind for smooth operation.
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Eligible Items: Products purchased from our "physical store" and "official online shop" that are sold by us are eligible. (Please note that some limited edition items sold at flea markets or certain in-store items may be excluded. Please ask our staff for details.)
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When Purchasing from the Online Shop: Your purchase history is automatically recorded in the system, so no special prior action or registration is required on your part. You can use it with peace of mind until the time of future return.
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When Purchasing from a Physical Store: At the checkout counter in the store, "prior membership registration (free)" is required at the time of purchase (or until the time of return). Our staff will guide you during checkout, so please cooperate.
5. More Freedom in Your Relationship with Dinnerware. Maison Toji's Proposal for a Future Lifestyle
While the term "lifetime item" is wonderful, it can sometimes place an invisible burden on our shopping and daily lives. It's truly a shame to hesitate to welcome high-quality, handcrafted items that genuinely captivate your heart due to the pressure of "once you buy it, you have to use it forever."
Please feel free to more lightly and freely welcome dinnerware that will brilliantly enrich your current life to your table. And when your lifestyle changes, you can simply pass the baton beautifully to the next generation through Maison Toji.
Maison Toji and 'Meguri Ware™' will continue to support you through all changes in your life, and foster a rich life with dinnerware, with a logical system and a strong aesthetic.
We invite you to experience the new lifestyle we propose at our physical store in Meguro-ku, Tokyo (Musashi-Koyama), or through our official online shop. Our staff eagerly awaits your visit, along with special pieces that embody the craftsmanship of artisans.
[Maison Toji Brand & Store Information]
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Store/Company Address: 5-11-19 Megurohoncho, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0002
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Access: 7-minute walk from Musashi-Koyama Station on the Tokyu Meguro Line
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Official Online Shop: https://maisontoji.com
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Official Instagram: @maisontoji_tokyo