Hasami ware also goes well with Italian New Year's dishes.

The season is ”Sho-kan”, one of the 24 solar terms in Japan. (It means "Little cold".)

According to the calendar, the cold weather is finally here, with crisp, clear air and chilly mornings and evenings that will make you shrug your shoulders. This is the time of year when we want to eat nutritious, warming foods to avoid catching a cold.

In Italy, there are traditional dishes eaten at New Year's, similar to Japan's osechi ryori. One of these is "zampone." It is a ham-like dish made by stuffing minced meat into the skin of a pig's trotter. When simmered, the flavor seeps out, creating a powerful taste perfect for winter. It is served with lentils, which are popular in Italy as a symbol of "increasing wealth." The small beans are likened to coins, and it is said that eating them at the beginning of the year will bring good fortune.

The auspicious zampone is served on a plate from Issei Kiln, a Hasami ware manufacturer in Nagasaki. The blue berry pattern, hand-painted one by one by artisans on the white porcelain, has a simple yet dignified appearance, adding a gentle touch of color to the dining table.

The design blends naturally with not only Japanese cuisine, but also Western food and desserts, making this dish a little more special for everyday dining.

If you're interested in this dish, check it out here .