About Us

Our story began in Bali, 2017

It all started in sunny Bali, back in 2017. Just two dreamers (hi, we’re Kevin and Theresia!) with a shared love for simplicity, good food, and, well… anime. Yup, we’re those people who argue about One Piece theories over tea (because we're not a coffee drinkers) and spend lunch breaks button-mashing through video games with the team. We're serious about business, but we never outgrew our inner otaku. And honestly? We don’t plan to.

Let’s rewind a bit.

We first crossed paths in Japan, 2016, while attending a Japanese language school. Total strangers turned best friends for life. We both wanted to create something special, something meaningful. So we packed our bags and flew back to Indonesia early the next year to make it happen.

Our love to bakery

Back home, we had zero clue what kind of business to start. But after tons of discussions, one idea stuck: “Let’s make cakes! Pretty and tasty ones like in Japan.” Sounds easy, right? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

Armed with no experience but loads of passion, we kicked things off with kue kukus (steamed cakes) and slowly experimented from there. Reality hit hard when we realized those cute Japanese cakes took some serious skills. But we didn't back down.

After lots of flops, we finally nailed our very first chocolate brownie. Not the fanciest dessert, but oh boy—the flavor was next level. That brownie became the star of our first Christmas hampers, and honestly, it was the moment we felt like, “Yep, we’re onto something.”

And then came the twist.

thanks to the chocolate brownies, we found KIYA.

 Unexpected turn to woodenwares

To level up our brownie photos, we started hunting for props—wooden spoons, rustic trays, soft linen. We were chasing that warm, Japanese-style aesthetic.



But guess what people kept asking about? The props. Not the cake. Rude, but okay.

Friends and family were all like, “Where did you get this wooden spoon? That plate’s amazing!” And a lightbulb went off. Maybe, just maybe, we were meant to sell these. Not the cake. So we pivoted. Full 180.

And, That's it!

We hit the road, scouting for local artisans and talented carpenters across Bali and Java. One turned into two, then into six—and counting! Each one brings their own magic, and together, we’ve built something that celebrates craftsmanship, simplicity, and a little touch of Japan in every design.

And that’s how KIYAKAYU was born.

A minimalist woodenware brand with a heart full of brownies and a soul that’s slightly obsessed with anime. Still family-run, still dreaming big, and still pressing “Start” on our mobile game during lunch.