Kazoku Tiles: Handcrafted Japanese Mosaics
An exclusive range of hand-glazed mosaics with the quiet, wabi-sabi character only real craft gives. Meet Hatsu, Sabi and Osaka, in warm ochre, deep espresso and Oribe green.
Some tiles are made to disappear into a room. Kazoku is made to give one a soul. This is our exclusive collection of hand-glazed Japanese mosaic tiles, and if you have been looking for Japanese mosaic tiles in Australia with genuine craft behind them, rather than a printed imitation of it, this is where to start.
The short answer
Kazoku is an exclusive range of handcrafted Japanese mosaics, hand-glazed so each piece carries subtle wabi-sabi variation in tone and sheen. The collection spans designs such as Hatsu, Sabi and Osaka in warm ochre, deep espresso and Oribe green.
Best used as a feature: splashbacks, powder rooms, niches and fireplaces. Exclusive to Design Tiles.
What makes Kazoku different?
The difference is in the glaze, and the hand that applies it. Kazoku mosaics are hand-glazed rather than digitally printed, so the colour gathers a little thicker in some places and thinner in others, catching the light differently across a single sheet. That gentle unevenness is the whole idea. It is what gives a finished wall depth and movement, the sense that a person made it, not a machine.
The wabi-sabi philosophy
Kazoku is built on wabi-sabi, the Japanese appreciation of beauty in imperfection and impermanence. In a tile, that means embracing the small variations of a handmade surface instead of erasing them. A wabi-sabi wall is never flat or sterile: it has warmth, quiet texture and a lived-in calm that sits beautifully alongside natural timber, stone and soft, layered interiors.
Meet the range: Hatsu, Sabi and Osaka
The collection is a small, considered family of designs, each with its own character. Hatsu brings a clean, contemporary mosaic rhythm. Sabi leans into the aged, earthy end of the wabi-sabi spectrum. Osaka offers a warmer, more urban glaze. Across the range you will find the signature earthy palette: warm ochre, deep espresso and the soft, celadon-like Oribe green that has become a favourite for feature walls.
A soft, sunlit clay tone that flatters warm timbers and brass.
A rich, dark glaze for a moody, enveloping feature.
A gentle celadon green that reads fresh yet timeless.
Where to use Japanese mosaic tiles
Kazoku is a feature tile, so use it where it can be seen and enjoyed rather than walked over all day. A kitchen splashback, a powder-room wall from floor to ceiling, a shower niche, a fireplace surround or a band of colour behind open shelving all make the most of the hand-glazed depth. Pair it with quiet, larger-format porcelain floors and simple joinery so the mosaic stays the hero.
Three Kazoku tiles to know
Here are three pieces from the range we reach for most, with where each one belongs and how to care for it.
Hand-glazed ceramic
Kazoku Hatsu Square
A glossy, hand-glazed square mosaic with real pooling and variation, in tones from White and Wheat to Oribe Green.
Best for: feature walls, splashbacks and powder rooms where the glaze can catch the light.
Care: a wall and feature tile. Wipe with a mild, pH-neutral cleaner and avoid abrasives so the glaze stays lustrous.
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Hand-glazed ceramic
Kazoku Hatsu Border
A slim, hand-glazed border in White, Wheat, Red, Aqua, Oribe Green and Espresso, for adding a line of colour and craft.
Best for: banding, niches and framing a feature wall or mirror with a considered edge.
Care: a feature and wall tile. Clean gently with a pH-neutral cleaner; expect hand-glazed variation as part of the look.
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Matt-glazed porcelain
Kazoku Sabi
A soft, matt porcelain mosaic, 45 x 195mm on 400 x 250mm sheets (1m2 per box), in White, Coffee, Charcoal, Khaki Green and Brown.
Best for: feature walls, splashbacks and shower walls where a calmer, matt finish suits the room.
Care: glazed porcelain, so no sealing. Wipe clean; only the grout needs a sealer.
View productLiving with a handmade surface
Because the glaze is applied by hand, tone and sheen shift gently from piece to piece, so we always suggest viewing a full sample board and ordering your whole quantity in a single lot. Setting out and grout colour matter more with mosaics than with plain tiles, and getting them right is exactly the kind of detail our team enjoys helping with before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What are Kazoku tiles?
Kazoku is an exclusive collection of handcrafted Japanese mosaic tiles available at Design Tiles. Each piece is hand-glazed, so the colour pools and varies subtly across the sheet, giving a wall the quiet, lived-in depth that machine-made tiles cannot copy. The range includes designs such as Hatsu, Sabi and Osaka in warm, earthy tones.
What is wabi-sabi in tiles?
Wabi-sabi is the Japanese aesthetic that finds beauty in imperfection and natural variation. In a tile, it shows up as slight differences in glaze thickness, tone and surface from piece to piece. Rather than a flaw, this variation is the point: it gives a handmade wall warmth, movement and a sense of craft.
Where can I use Japanese mosaic tiles?
Hand-glazed mosaics shine as feature surfaces: a kitchen or bathroom splashback, a powder-room wall, a niche, a fireplace surround, or a band of colour behind open shelving. They are wall and feature tiles rather than heavy-traffic floor tiles, so they are best kept off busy floors.
Do handmade mosaic tiles vary in colour?
Yes, and that is intentional. Because the glaze is applied by hand, tone and sheen shift gently across and between sheets. We recommend viewing a full sample board and ordering all of your quantity in one lot so the variation reads as a considered whole rather than a mismatch.
Are Kazoku mosaics exclusive to Design Tiles?
Yes. Kazoku is part of our curated, exclusive range, which means you will not find it in the big-box chains. It is one of the collections that gives a Design Tiles project its signature character.
How do I order Japanese mosaic tiles in Australia?
You can order a sample board or the full range from our Rockdale showroom or online, with samples posted Australia-wide. Because mosaics are detailed to install, we are happy to talk through quantities, setting out and grout colour before you buy.
Skip the designer fee, come straight to the experts
Our in-house experts at Design Tiles give you free, personal design guidance, in our Rockdale showroom or virtually anywhere in Australia. You get designer-level results and keep the budget for the tiles. Order sample packs to any state, or book a free consultation with the team.
