Japanese Arita Ceramics
Arita the origin of japanese porcelain japanese porcelain was first produced in the early 17th century in arita saga prefecture located in the northern part of kyushu.
Japanese arita ceramics. Arita ware which has a long history is generally divided into three styles. Multiple petals of flower bring the gorgeous and dignified presence on this arita ware. Imari is the name of the port city from which the porcelain was first exported to the west. Old imari is a term referring to hizen ceramic goods which were the first examples of arita ware made in the edo era.
The form of palace plate is a bloom of chrysanthemum. You don t have to be a porcelain aficionado to enjoy arita. Arita is the birthplace of japanese porcelain. Imari porcelain also known as arita ware was first produced in the 1600s in the japanese town of arita.
This was the area where the great majority of early japanese porcelain especially japanese export. The town of arita in saga kyushu is famous throughout the world for its pottery. Imari is highly collectible and comes in many forms besides plates such as cups bowls vases and figures. The japanese porcelain of 1616 arita japan is designed for various types of cuisine japanese western style or chinese.
Even though the country s links with the outside world were severely limited these particular ceramics were in great demand internationally. While you are there browse the ceramic shops and visit the zwinger palace at arita porcelain park. And then in the second year of the genna era circa 1616 the potter sanpei li discovered deposits of white porcelain ore in arita s izumiyama which became known as japan s first examples of porcelain goods to be fired. Thanks to its proximity to the dutch trading port in nagasaki and political instability in china this small town became the porcelain capital of the world for nearly a century.
Arita was the first place in japan where porcelain was produced in the 1600 s and today the town still lives strong on its history and reputation of fine pottery. When hideyoshi toyotomi the ruler of japan at that time sent his army to invade korea in the end of the 16th century the feudal lord nabeshima forced a korean master potter. Even today it produces some of the finest pottery in japan. They were named as old imari due to the fact that they were shipped out of imari port.
Quickly kilns sprung up all over arita and got to work producing japan s first porcelain. It is also known as hizen ware 肥前焼 hizen yaki after the wider area of the province. See where it all started at izumiyama quarry and learn about porcelain history at kyushu ceramic museum. The first japanese porcelain aritayaki originated in the town of arita on the southern island of kyushu in the 16th century.