Some of our favorite mugs at Mug Barista come from Otagiri. They have a very distinctive look that you do not find from any other manufacturer. Many Otagiri mugs feature animals but they also commonly have hot air balloons, airplanes, and many other things on them. Here are 3 glorious examples all available on mugbarista.com, click the photo to purchase or see more details about each:
But what exactly is Otagiri? Reference.com says:
"Otagiri stoneware was produced and painted by hand by a group of artists hired to design and create pieces. Although Otagiri started manufacturing pieces in the 1950s, it did not officially register its name as a trademark until 1980. Although the company manufactured and stamped its pieces as made in Japan, the Otagiri trademark was registered in the United States.
Authentic Otagiri can be identified by a gold and yellow sticker and the stamp "Otagiri Japan." In 1994, the company was sold to Enesco, another company known for manufacturing collectibles, for $3.5 million. Afterward, the brand was discontinued. Though true Otagiri pieces are no longer manufactured, items that resemble Otagiri pieces are still referred to as such. During its operation, Otagiri also acted as a third-party manufacturer, creating products for greeting card companies as well as the San Francisco Music Box Company, a once-popular mall store chain."
At mugbarista.com we currently have over 60 otagiri mugs listed on our site.