Noritake Co. Limited has grown steadily since its start in the village of Noritake, near Nagoya, Japan. From the start of the trading company in New York in 1878 to its present diversification, Noritake always seems to finds new ways to use their knowledge of ceramic materials.

In 1904 Nippon Toki Gomei Kaisha was founded. You may be familiar with this company if you have ever looked for antique hand painted porcelain. Some of their early wares were stamped with “Nippon” on the back, to let buyers know that it originated from Japan. There is even a Noritake Collectors Society and a Noritake Collectors Guild that you can join.

Noritake also has an array of contemporary tableware, and includes a collection made specifically for the hotel and restaurant industry. But it is most known for the dinnerware that many people use to serve dinner on every night.

Today’s Noritake dinnerware collections range from the elegant Corinth with its intricate etched design in the platinum band, to the everyday modern Noritake Colorwave that comes in a range of colors that will suit any décor.

Their holiday collection lets you decorate your table to fit the winter holidays. Try a pattern that goes with other holiday decorations in your house, so as your guests move into the dining room they keep that festive feeling. This collection ranges from its elegant Fitzgerald plates, to classical Holly and Berry Gold collection, and the modern Aria Christmas with a thick band of gray with snowflake accents, just to name a few.

One of the great traits of their dishes is that they are dishwasher and microwave safe. (Of course, don’t put the ones with gold or platinum edging in the microwave.) Be sure to keep to good practices when washing them in the dishwasher. Don’t overload it, as that could cause chipping. Only use the proper amount of detergent for your washer – never more, and let the tableware cool down to room temperature after the drying cycle has completed since the heat can soften the metal. With proper care you will be enjoying your dinner ware for years to come.

Their glassware ranges from the elegant etched lead crystal Moondust, to the sophisticated Allaire Platinum, to the everyday Breeze Clear in all its wonderful colors. Their glassware collection is a perfect accent to their dinnerware and together creates a perfectly set table. It’s really relaxing to sit down to a beautiful dinner table in the middle of the week, so there’s no need to save it for special occasions.

One of my favorite sites to find contemporary Noritake is Dinnerwarecenter.com. It has a section devoted to Noritake tableware, and once you find the pattern you are interested in you can see a close up of the pattern piece by piece. Also their prices are very competitive.

Since 1914, when the company produced the first dinner set in Japan, the company has diversified greatly. It is, in fact, the only general manufacturer of grinding and polishing in Japan. Noritake businesses now include:

• Industrial grinding and polishing tools
• Raw materials for the ceramics industry such as plaster and dental materials
• Electronics with the Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD)
• Engineering Equipment such as kilns, grinding and cutting machines, mixers, and filtration systems
• Dinnerware of bones china, white porcelain, cutlery and glassware

In 1981 the company took its current name, Noritake Co., Limited. From beautiful dishes to electronics, Noritake follows the company’s motto of "Good quality, Export and Co-prosperity".