Scenes from Life with Kyoto Ware / Kiyomizu Ware 01

Quality Time, Beloved by Two Paris Residents

Odile Morand, Pascal Rebuffe

About six kilometers west of the center of Paris, bordering both the 16th and 17th Arrondissement, lies the small suburb of Neuilly. This area, known as the site of the Neuilly Peace Treaty between the Allies and Bulgaria after the First World War, is today one of Paris’s most exclusive residential areas. The tree-lined sidewalks are wide, and the apartments adorned with balconies stand in rows along the street. Strictly speaking, Neuilly is a different city than Paris, but as its quiet environment is different from other Paris suburbs (banlieue), it is often intuitively regarded as a part of Paris.
In Neuilly reside a couple living out an old age filled with happiness, a couple who seem well-matched to the eyes of every observer. They are Pascal, a former engineer for an architectural firm, and Odile, a former flight attendant. The two live in apartments close enough to travel between in less time than soup cools, and spend their days moving back and forth between their respective houses. They also spend half of the month living together in a villa in Normandy. They share an appreciation for opera, and a love of travel.
They have found something beautiful that seamlessly fits into their lifestyle: Kyoto ware / Kiyomizu ware. It accompanies them in their daily lives, and adds a subtle richness and color to it.



An Everyday Comfort
Odile’s apartment is on the top floor of a six-story building with a wide lawn. The apartment is not large in itself, but the exposure is excellent, and from the small veranda one can just catch sight of the Eiffel Tower.
“We always pass the mornings leisurely in this kitchen while eating breakfast, usually small croissants, pain au chocolat, fruit juice, and café au lait. As we have several pieces of Kiyomizu ware, we use it for different things, but we particularly use the Matcha bowls to drink café au lait in the morning. The warmth from holding the bowl in both hands and the light heft are so comfortable; they really accompany the calmness of the morning well. We have two Matcha bowls of different appearance: one is black, my favorite, and one is red, Pascal’s favorite.” (Odile)
“What makes something a delight to use is, I think, the poetry of the thing itself. The combination of extravagance and delicacy in Kiyomizu ware makes me imagine so many things, like the concept that the artisan began with, and the appearance of the bowl as it was made by hand.”



A Rare Gem of One’s Own, Encountered in Kyoto
In 2014, Pascal traveled to Japan for the second time. During his stay in Kyoto, he came upon a single piece of Kiyomizu ware with decorations made in the likeness of bamboo. The piece was modeled after Gotake, a type of bamboo often used as a material for flutes. It was a square plate of unique design, such that the flexibility of the bamboo could be felt.
“When I saw it, it was love at first sight. I was accustomed to bamboo, as there is a great deal of it in Paris and all over Europe, but this was the first time I had seen ceramics take bamboo as a motif. I felt an irreplaceable joy to have unexpectedly encountered this gem during my travels.” (Pascal)
Along with that square plate, he bought a teapot and a teacup made to resemble the bamboo, and brought them back to Paris.
“On the weekend, when we serve an aperitif, we use the square plate to hold blinis with salmon caviar or olive paste. Because I discovered this plate it holds a special quality for me, so I especially like to use it when I want to savor a taste very deliberately. Although there are many different kinds of Kiyomizu ware, they all possess a distinct appearance. The way they can be arranged in harmony, so unlike sets of Western dishes, is really wonderful. Of course, they can also be combined with Western dishes, which opens up all kinds of possibilities.”



Conveying a Beauty Beyond Words
Kyoto ware / Kiyomizu ware, born from the history and culture of Kyoto, adds an extra touch of color to the daily life of this Parisian couple.
“The delicate construction of Kiyomizu ware is so inventive, a part of it seems just like the French sense of beauty. We also feel that it shares something with Sevres porcelain.” (Odile)
It is said that Kyoto ware / Kiyomizu ware was first introduced in Europe in 1870, but it has begun to be reevaluated in recent years, not only in contemporary France, but all over the continent.
“I think the special techniques and textures found in Kiyomizu ware actually have a strong affinity with European culture. I think people who are culturally informed understand its excellence. The ware is also very easy to adopt because of its usefulness and the wide variety of sizes and types. Above all, though, I think Kiyomizu ware is becoming more popular because its beautiful, and things that are really beautiful have the power to sense the beauty of other objects without using words.”

Odile Morand
Flight attendant with a French airline company until 1997. Subsequently joined Chanel. Retired in 2007. Hobbies include collecting modern art, traveling, and watching opera.


Pascal Rebuffe
Employed as an engineer at Soletanche-Bachy, an architectural firm, until 2011. After retiring, began to volunteer as an asset manager for seniors living by themselves. Hobbies include jogging, traveling, and watching opera.