
Nozomi Project
Sue Takamoto launched the Nozomi Project to provide nozomi (hope) to Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture, an area devastated by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Local women craft necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other fashion accessories from broken pottery left in the wake of the disaster and sell them via an English-language online shop. The matching necklace and earring sets (from ¥5,300) make great gift options. However, we love the simple and timeless Misa cuff bracelets (¥5,000), featuring a little piece of pottery encased in a gold, silver or copper frame. Each product line is named after somebody important to the team, from family and friends to the local heroes who lost their lives during the natural disaster.