Object of the Day: Japanese Kihara Komon porcelain

I stumbled across these Japanese plates a few weeks ago and can't for the life of me remember how or where. But I bookmarked them because they are so very appealing.

However, like many things worth having, they're not that easy to get hold of.

The range is called Komon, which is the Japanese for "eblem" and, from my research, the plates only appear to be available in their country of origin – Japan.

They are by the Japanese brand, Kihara which designed them for the almost 400-year-old Aritaware Porcelain Lab, and each plate depicts a different good luck symbol.

The circles design in the foreground signifies infinity, and is said to bring luck for relationships and properties, while the net design, behind it, symbolises scooping up happiness.

I seem to have a habit of falling for plates that play hard-to-get (you may have seen my mournful ode to these out-of-reach 1980s Studio Nova beauties a few weeks ago), and so apologies for burdening you with the same pain. On the plus side, you can buy these online from the Japanese shop Kiraha (have fun with Google Translate) or through these Japanese eBay shops, where the postage seems to be unnervingly reasonable and prices for a set of five start at around £55 – scroll right down the list – though there are potential customs charges to consider (you can probably work those out from this guide). Just be careful not to think you've landed an incredible bargain only to have bought and had shipped a set of chopstick holders by mistake like that woman who bought the dining table in the eBay episode of This American Life.

There is a New Zealand shop selling them too, An Astute Assembly, which is so nice it could make a person want to move to Auckland. And Monocle sell a slightly different design which, personally, I'm not so keen on but you can have a look here.

And look, there's even a range for children.

I'm so smitten.

Is anyone out there lucky enough to own some of these sweet ceramics? Or are any UK shops tempted to start importing them...?