Noritake
Noritake Co., Limited is a Japanese ceramics and porcelain manufacturer based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. Founded in 1904, it is best known for pioneering Western-style fine tableware in Japan and expanding into advanced ceramics and industrial materials worldwide.
Key Facts
Founded: 1904 (roots traced to 1876)
Founders: Ichizaemon Morimura and Toyo Morimura
Headquarters: Nagoya, Japan
CEO (2025): Akira Higashiyama
Employees: About 4,800
Origins & Heritage
Noritake originated from the Morimura Brothers’ trading company established in New York in 1876 to export Japanese goods. Their goal was to create porcelain matching European quality. In 1904 they built a factory in the Noritake district near Nagoya, producing Japan’s first mass-market Western-style dinnerware and earning international acclaim by the early 20th century.
Products & Businesses
The company’s operations encompass tableware, industrial products, and advanced materials. Its tableware division produces porcelain, bone china, and luxury collections that combine artistry with functionality. Industrial divisions manufacture grinding tools, ceramic materials, vacuum fluorescent displays, engineering ceramics, and specialized machinery such as kilns and filtration systems. This diversified portfolio positions Noritake as both a lifestyle and technology brand.
Global Presence & Design Collaborations
Noritake operates factories and showrooms across Asia, North America, and Oceania, including notable presences in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, India, and Australia. The Noritake Design Collection partners with international designers—such as Faye Toogood, Marc Newson, and Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation—to reinterpret its heritage through contemporary design.
Legacy & Significance
For more than 120 years, Noritake has symbolized the modernization of Japan’s ceramic industry and the fusion of craft and technology. Its products remain emblematic of refinement in hospitality and home dining while supporting high-performance industrial applications globally.