OSAKA SUZUKI

The origins of OSAKA SUZUKI can be traced back to a tinware shop established in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, in the mid-Meiji era. After training there, artisan Eikichi Imai founded his own workshop, which later developed into the present company. Over the years, the workshop continued to preserve tinworking techniques through wartime and post-war periods.

The company was founded in 1943 and incorporated in 1949. Based in Tanabe, Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, it has focused exclusively on tinware, manufacturing tea and sake items, ritual vessels and a variety of tableware. In recent decades, it has also created new products that match contemporary needs, such as beer tumblers and wine-related items.

Osaka Naniwa Tinware grew as a production centre in Osaka when tinware, once reserved mainly for court and shrine use, became more common among the general public during the Edo period. Today, the area is said to account for a large share of tinware produced in Japan. As one of its leading manufacturers, OSAKA SUZUKI combines long-cultivated skills with modern design and functionality.

Within the company, highly skilled craftspeople – including nationally certified traditional craftsmen and recipients of prestigious craftsmanship awards – work together in specialised processes. By training younger artisans and passing on these techniques, OSAKA SUZUKI aims to sustain the tinware industry while continuing to offer reliable, long-lasting products.

Manufacturer of government-designated traditional craft "Osaka Naniwa Tinware"

OSAKA SUZUKI is one of the key manufacturers in the Osaka Naniwa Tinware production area, which has been officially recognised as a traditional craft by the Japanese government. Building on techniques handed down since the Edo period, the company produces tinware ranging from classic sake and tea items to contemporary pieces.

97% tin content and team of leading craftspeople

The products are made from 97% high-grade tin, which offers both strength and workability, allowing pieces to be shaped on a lathe without easily deforming. The company employs certified traditional craftsmen and nationally honoured "Contemporary Master Craftsmen," each specialising in different processes such as casting, turning and finishing.

From sake cups and tea canisters to tumblers and beer cups

While OSAKA SUZUKI continues to produce traditional items such as sake bottles, guinomi cups, tea canisters and ritual vessels, it also develops tumblers, beer cups, wine glasses and other items suited to modern lifestyles. These products are available through department stores, speciality shops and the official online store.

Enjoying the unique properties of tin

Tin has excellent thermal conductivity and has long been said to make sake taste milder. Its pleasant mouthfeel and the soft sheen of its surface make it ideal for drinkware. OSAKA SUZUKI designs its pieces so that users can fully enjoy these material characteristics in everyday life.