毎日の食卓で、いちばん出番が多いのが丸皿です。
棚に並ぶのは、藍色の染付、白い無地、細い線が走る十草、赤や緑の絵付け、土の風合いを残した粉引。同じ丸でも、表情はずいぶん違います。
選び方の目安は、大きさです。直径二十一センチほどの七寸皿なら、焼き魚も、パスタも、カレーもこなします。十八センチの六寸皿は、副菜や取り分けにちょうどいい大きさ。もう少し小ぶりな五寸皿は、朝のトーストや果物にも合います。
和食器は、洋食にもよくなじみます。白い皿ばかりの食卓に、藍の一枚を足してみる。それだけで、いつもの料理が少し違って見えるものです。
手に取っていただくと、重さや、縁の反り具合が伝わります。何枚か並べて、ご自宅の食卓を思い浮かべながらお選びください。
Round plates are the workhorses of the Japanese table — the shape you reach for every day.
Look along the shelves and you’ll see how much variation one shape allows: cobalt blue painted on white (sometsuke), plain porcelain, fine vertical stripes called tokusa, warmer plates with red and green enamel, and soft matte pieces where the clay still shows through.
Size is the simplest way to choose. A plate around 21 cm handles a main course — grilled fish, pasta, curry. Around 18 cm suits side dishes or sharing. Around 15 cm works for breakfast toast or fruit.
These plates were designed for Japanese food, but they aren’t limited to it. Set one blue plate among white ones and the whole table shifts.
Pick them up. Japanese plates are often lighter than they look, and the curve of the rim differs from piece to piece. Take your time.