Tsubame Cutlery Bolero (Matte)

Stylish Cutlery That Stands Out

Hidden Gems That Challenge the Cutlery Standards

Sori Yanagi spoon (top) and Bolero matte spoon (bottom), both used for over 20 years.

After searching for many years, I finally found the perfect cutlery.
There are some classic brands of cutlery. Popular gift brands like Cutipol, and Sori Yanagi cutlery which is commonly seen in cafes. I myself have been using Sori Yanagi cutlery for about 20 years. When I was in my 20s, I thought "this is it!" and chose it, but it became so common that it felt ordinary rather than a classic. Inevitably, I started to feel like I "didn't want to have the same as everyone else."

Cutipol is Also Beautiful

Cutipol also has a long history and is very photogenic. I'm especially drawn to the fact that it's handmade by artisans in Portugal. Now, it's so popular that you can't go a day without seeing it on Instagram. But it feels a bit overexposed. Perhaps I notice it so much because I'm conscious of it, but my contrarian alter ego whispers, "Is that really what you want?"
That said, deliberately choosing something obscure might not be the right path either.
At times like these, I thought the only thing to do was shut out external information and wait to encounter something that resonated with my heart, making me think, "This is it."

What instantly clicked with me was this Bolero matte cutlery, produced in Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture. Its remarkably slender neck (the narrowest part), its beautiful form that makes you want to touch it, and the gentle tactile sensation and good grip when actually used. The moderate weight and carefully finished edges. It was a piece of cutlery that exceeded expectations.
Despite having no ornamentation, its design is far from bland. From experience, I feel that this kind of design is what makes your affection grow the more you use it.
In fact, it's a hidden gem known to those in the know, a masterpiece that you won't often see others with.

What is Cutlery?

Cutlery is a general term for table knives, forks, spoons, and so on. It's an item you're highly likely to see in interior shops. The sight of several types neatly arranged is truly impressive, isn't it? Perhaps every household has at least one set? It might be an indispensable tool for our modern diet, or even the main star of tableware.

Cutlery That Feels Familiar Right From the Start

Cutlery That Won a Long Life Design Award

Brand new, shiny cutlery can be really exciting, can't it? Something gleaming and flawless feels almost divine. But it's destined to get scratched after just a few uses. While countless scratches and a matte appearance can eventually give cutlery character, it probably takes several years to reach that point.
What's great about the Bolero cutlery is its matte finish, so it feels familiar right from the start. The smooth, dry feel on both hands and tongue, unique to matte finishes, is also addictive. Of course, even matte finishes get scratched, but it feels more like they're developing a vintage look.

Makes Your Everyday Meals Look a Little More Luxurious

Smooth Mouthfeel

The design is very simple. It has no ornamentation whatsoever, and a streamlined form without any straight lines.
Moreover, the spoon has a particular refinement that you wouldn't understand until you use it. It has an incredibly smooth mouthfeel. The edge of the bowl of the spoon, the part that goes into your mouth, is exquisitely cut.
It's sharp enough to cut tender meat with just the spoon, and that sharpness is precisely why it feels so smooth when you remove it from your mouth.
Of course, rest assured it's not so sharp that it would cut your mouth.
The knife also has a well-thought-out, easy-to-cut angle. It has a slightly charming, cute form, but it's incredibly sharp.

When such Bolero (matte) cutlery is set on the table, it's不思議 (mysterious) how it makes everyday meals look stylish and luxurious, just like the oval plate.
For meals that only require a spoon, oh's original spoon is also recommended, but if you're using it with a fork and knife, the Bolero (matte) cutlery is highly recommended.

Daily Photos

Matte cutlery is very elegant and I think it's a tasteful choice.


Morning dessert with that oval plate W17 and a cake fork

The teaspoons and cake forks on both sides are, as their names suggest, smaller.


Just the right thickness and carefully finished edges

Size and Name Misconceptions

Cutlery has names according to its size. In particular, please understand that the name "dessert spoon" is an industry term used for size, not for dessert use.
In Japan, dessert spoons and dessert forks are generally used for main meals. The sizes above that, called table spoons and dinner forks, are a bit larger. This might be the European/American size.
Bolero matte's lineup only includes types like dessert spoons and dessert forks. At oh, we avoided adding "dessert" to the product name to prevent misunderstanding.

20 Years Leading Up to This Spoon

I started living alone in my mid-twenties. I bought everything I needed for daily life at a 100-yen shop.
However, for cutlery, I specifically wanted pieces by Sori Yanagi, a product designer I admired even back then. Since they were not easily broken, I thought they would last a lifetime, so I took the plunge and bought five of each, even though I lived alone. It was a significant expense for me at the time.

A few years later, I was incredibly shocked to discover their price had dropped. "What?!" I thought. It wasn't about "I could have bought them cheaper," but rather the sadness of "I bought them because I liked them, but their value has decreased." After that, I started seeing them in many stores, which gave me mixed feelings.

Later, when I became a buyer for an interior shop, I encountered countless cutlery options. While I realized there were so many choices, I also felt, "There's too much, I don't get it!" So, I decided to wait patiently until something resonated with me.

A few years later, I fell in love with a vintage cutlery series called "Carvel Hall LEISURE" by a designer named Irvin Harper, who had worked at the office of American designer George Nelson. I bought as many pieces as I could.
I loved the slightly smaller, cute form, but since they were vintage, I couldn't get a complete set, and frankly, they were a bit inconvenient to use... (Sorry, Irvin!)

And then recently, I encountered this Bolero cutlery. I had seen it occasionally in catalogs, but the existence of the matte type, and the comfortable feeling when I actually touched and used it, made me exclaim, "Oh!" at the balance of appearance and usability. Plus, there was a sense of familiarity and reassurance that it was made in Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture, right next to my home prefecture of Fukushima.


Goblet cup, that oval plate W20, and a teaspoon

If I were served coffee with a Bolero teaspoon and a brownie with a cake fork, I'd probably be ecstatic! I'd think, "I bet I could be friends with the person who chose these." (laughs)
They're perfect for your own home, and also highly recommended for guests.