About us

Hi, I’m Yasuko, the owner of okappa houseware.

I grew up in Kyoto, Japan, where every household was running their own small business related to Japanese crafts or arts. Whenever I visited my friends’ houses, I saw their parents and employees engaged in embroidering on Japanese textiles, spinning silk, or working in a dyeing manufacturer. My father was (and still is) running a Japanese textile wholesale business, and I have memories of playing and jumping on rolls of textiles – ouch.

Kyoto was a small and tight-knit community back then. While it was comforting, I also felt a longing for different cultures. As soon as I was old enough to earn my own money and be independent, I began traveling the world. It was an incredible experience, and I fell in love with the unique aspects of each culture: the bustling vitality of China, the profound life and death intertwining at the Ganges River, the refined lifestyle of Scandinavia, the extravagant food culture of France, and the liberating sense of self in America.

Yet, my travels also made me appreciate the beauty of my own culture. In Japan, people respect one another, cherish materials and nature, and approach life with wholeheartedness, attention to detail, and a commitment to excellence. I saw this ethos reflected in many Japanese products and felt a deep desire to share this beautiful mindset through everyday items with people around the world.

Having grown up watching my father run his small business with passion, I too dreamt of owning my own. After working for a giant coffee company and a resort company in Japan, then relocating to Portland, Oregon with my husband and two toddlers and working for a local gourmet donut company, I finally launched Okappa Houseware.

Okappa Houseware curates products that are thoughtfully designed and crafted with users in mind – items that are highly functional and beautiful. Products that bring a little joy to our everyday lives. Personally, I prefer a simple and minimalistic home, so every purchase for our house is carefully selected. Do I truly need it? How often will I use it? Is there space for it? How will it enhance my life? Will I cherish it for a long time? These are the questions I ask when choosing products for Okappa as well.

I hope you find something that catches your eye and brings joy to your everyday life, and I believe that helps to make the world a better place.