MIKA

MIKA began in 2017 as a small shop centered around houseplants.

In 2019, my husband Satoshi, a ceramic artist, joined me at MIKA. Together, we began creating our own handmade planters, tableware. Around the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we looked at our business—and at everyday life. It reminded us how important human connection is, and how much our homes shape the way we live. We realized we wanted MIKA to become a place where people connect through thoughtfully made objects.

As we began visiting makers, artists, tea farms, and producers, listening to their stories and spending time with them, we discovered what we truly wanted to share.

The people we met all seemed to have one thing in common. They honor what has been passed down to them while creating with someone beyond themselves in mind. That is why their work is thoughtful, sincere, and never stops evolving. To us, that is craftsmanship.

We are continually inspired by the people who live by this philosophy, and by the beautiful objects that naturally emerge from it. Little by little, each encounter has shaped MIKA into what it is today.

I was born in Hiroshima, Japan, where I grew up surrounded by a bounty of nature that both nurtured and inspired me. In my homeland I studied the ancient floral art of ikebana, which has profoundly influenced my design aesthetic over the last twenty-five years. In 2010 I decided to pursue my interest in pottery and it was love at first sight! I then combined my two passions—botanicals and pottery—creating a unique fusion of these natural elements. My style is contemporary with a Japanese influence that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. I grow many of my own botanicals, with the remainder being locally sourced. I also incorporate found elements such as lichens, moss, and branches to create one-of-a-kind pieces. 

About Satoshi Yoshikawa - Pottery Artist at MIKA

Satoshi Yoshikawa was born in 1983 in Okayama, Japan. At the age of 21 he began training in the pottery arts, first in Okinawa and Okayama prefectures then later in Bizen. It was there that he was inspired by Anjin Abe in the making of tea and sake ware and specialized in wood kiln firing. His first solo exhibition was in Tokyo at the age of 28. Satoshi moved to Canada in 2019 and continues to pursue his passion in ceramics at MIKA where he designs and produces pottery.