Tortoise is a Los Angeles-based shop that focuses on slow-made goods from Japan. They compare their perspective on design to the slow food movement - slowing down with objects that come from a more personal approach to craftsmanship, with attentiveness to their parts and their making.
This Tortoise Grater ($20) expresses their philosophy well. Each of the tiny teeth are turned upwards by hand to make a sharp grater that won't crush your ginger or garlic. They have another grater in the shape of a crane; the tortoise and crane are symbols of long life and happiness in Japanese culture and these small objects are beautiful as well as functional.
