Products can be more than simple tools. In fact, if treated justly, they can be our friends.
Made in Hasami Japan, the Ototi Dorinku Dolls (or “Drink Dolls”) are porcelain cup & bottle sets that transform the mundane process of storing and drinking one’s favorite beverage into an act of pleasurable intimacy.
And like any good friend, the Dorinku Dolls have a rich story to share.
Inspired by Industrial Designer Michael Kritzer’s eye opening trip to Japan, the Dorinku Dolls draw heavy influence from Japanese culture and crafts, namely Japanese Kokeshi dolls and traditional Japanese slip molding.
Like a Kokeshi doll — a wooden doll handcrafted by a Japanese artisan — a Dorinku Doll strives to create a meaningful connection between object and person by exuding a sense of innate innocence & beauty. Whether you are using one or have it on a shelf, a Dorinku Doll makes you want to be around it.
Since each Dorinku Doll is slip cast by traditional Japanese potters, no two are exactly alike — just like intimate friends.
The Dorinku Dolls come in two bottle styles, the rounded “August” bottle and the tall “Noble” bottle, and is paired with either a tea/sake cup or coffee cup. They are also available in 3 unique finishes:
Elder: a semi-matte black finish that’s applied by dipping each piece, by hand, into glaze
Morning Glory: a primarily gloss white finish glaze with indigo flowers painted on by hand
Horizons: a base white gloss glaze with horizontal indigo stripes applied by hand
Whether at home on the kitchen table, office desk, or a restaurant, a Dorinku Doll transforms a simple cup and bottle into something more. It becomes a prized everyday companion.
Sizing:
August Bottle: 33 oz | 104 mm x 104 mm x 176 mm (4.1 in x 4.1 in x 6.9 in)
Noble Bottle: 39 oz | 119 mm x 85 mm x 205 mm (4.7 in x 3.4 in x 8.1 in)
Coffee Cup: 8 oz | 86 mm x 86 mm x 50 mm (3.4 in x 3.4 in x 2 in)
Tea/Sake Cup: 3 oz | 108 mm x 137 mm x 54 mm (4.25 in x 5.4 in x 2.13 in)
