edo period

Tanaka Haseki 田中巴石

1855-1919maleokayama korakuen potteryAfter training in pottery making techniques at Mushiake-gama-kiln and Ako-yaki-gama-kilns in Okayama Prefecture, he opened a kiln under the name Zanmuken in the ruins of an old Korakuen kiln in 1907, and revived Korakuen ware by producing works in the style of Raku ware. (more…)

Tashiro Monzaemon 田代紋左衛門

1817-1900maleIn 1857, he acquired Dutch trading rights from the Hisatomi family and England trading rights from the Saga Clan in 1960, and imported thin ware of Mikawachi-yaki pottery, such as lids cups and coffee cups, and painted them with indigo and red paintings, and exported them mainly to Europe, Shanghai and New York. Later on, he established Tashiro Trading Company to take over the Saka Trading Company in Nagasaki and expanded his business. (more…)

Tachikichi たち吉

1752- Tachikichi is a long-standing pottery distributer in Kyoto. The company makes pottery designs, sends them to potteries for manufacturing, then sells them.It is said Tachikichi, formerly Tachibanaya Kishibei, was first founded on Shijo and Tominokoji streets in the center of Kyoto in 1752, in the late Edo period, which means they have a history of over 250 years.Around 1955, they rapidly increased their sales with a method called “buying club” (a type of subscription), and became famous nationwide. Tachikichi orders from the following potteries: Kutani ware, Mino ware, Seto ware, Tokoname ware, Yokkaichi Banko ware, Shigaraki ware, Kyo ware, (more…)

Kakizaki Kimie 柿崎喜美枝

1937-femaleLearned from her husband Rakjo. Opened a pottery class in his hometown Mori town Kayabe district, Hokkaido. Mainly used ash glaze for tableware. (more…)

Notomi Kaijiro 納富介次郎

1844-1918maleBorn as the second son of Shintoist Shibata Hanamori (1809-1890), a samurai of the Saga clan, he learned painting from his father at an early age and was adopted by Confucian scholar Notomi Rokurozaemon when he was 16 years old.He also traveled to Shanghai with Nakamuta Kuranosuke, another Saga clan member, and Takasugi Shinsaku of the Choshu clan to work on trade research.At the beginning of the Meiji era (1868-1912), he moved to Yokohama in 1871 to study trade, and studied Western-style painting on the side.In 1977, he established Edogawa Pottery and devoted himself to experimental projects such as the (more…)

Kosenjo pottery 古戦場焼

End of the Edo period – Early Meiji periodIt is one of the Owari ware of the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate, and was fired by Seto potter Kato Katsusuke Harunaga in Okehazama, Chita-gun, during the brief period between Kaei (1848-54) and the beginning of the Meiji era (it is believed that the kiln was closed in 1871).The kiln fired mainly tea utensils and sake cups as well as daily life goods. (more…)

Eiraku Zengoro 12th Wazen 十二代 永楽善五郎 和全

1823-1896malekyo potterykutani porcelainAlso known as Nishimura Wazen. Eldest son of Hozen. He was very fond of Ninsei, and in 1852, he and his younger brother-in-law, Munesaburo (Kaizen) opened the new Eiraku Omuro Kiln on the remains of the Ninsei Kiln. Afterwards in the 14th year of the Tenpo Era (1843), he inherited the 12th generation name of Eiraku due to his father Hozen’s retirement.After that, in the second year of the Keio Era (1866), he was invited by Maeda Toshinaka of the domain of Daishoji in Kaga, and he opened the Kutani Eiraku Kiln with Munesaburo and his son Tsunejiro (more…)

Eiraku Zengoro 11th Hozen 十一代 永楽善五郎 保全

1795-1855malekyo potteryAlso knon as Nishimura Hozen. At first, he was a “kasshiki”, an attendant charged with announcing mealtimes to the monks, working under Daiko Sogen at Daitoku-ji Temple. However, with Daiko Sogen’s help, he became an adopted child of Ryozen when he was around 12 or 13 years of age. After that, he researched the making of pottery, and in 1817 (14th year of the Bunka Era), he succeeded to the name of Zengoro. Then, in 1827 (10th year of the Bunsei Era), he, along with his father Ryozen as well as others such as Kyukosai Sosa and Raku Tannyu, (more…)

Eiraku Zengoro 10th Ryozen 十代 永楽善五郎 了全

1771-1841malekyo potteryAlso known as Nishimura Ryozen. Born to the Ninth Generation Sogan, he lost both parents at a young age, then lost his home in the Great Tenmei Fire. Was able to restore his household in Ichijobashi with assistance from the Sanzen family among others. In addition to his trade of manufacturing Doburo tea kettles, he also had experience working with Seto, Annam, and Kouchi ware. In 1817 (14th year of the Bunka era), he adopted the name of Ryozen, with the character “Ryo” being taken from Ryoryosai Sosa of the Omote Senke school. Because the generational records, as well (more…)

Nakagawa Rokyaku 中川鷺脚

late edo period-rokyaku potterymaleIn 1877, Nakagawa Yujiro (year of birth and death unknown) of Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture entered ‘Eiseisha’, a company succeeding in Tozan-ware from Himeji, and studied pottery under Shibata Okyaku. Later in 1881, he became independent in Koshomachi, Himeji City under the name of Nakagawa Rokyaku.Things like hand-formed teapots, tea implements and vases, were fired using clay from Itohiki Village Kaneda, and Nanga mountain water landscapes and crabs etc., were used as decorations. It is known as Rokyaku ware. (more…)

Imura Hikojiro 井村彦次郎

? -1897maleyokohama porcelainfocused on the fact that the painting of ceramics for export that was being done in Tokyo at the start of the Meiji era was flourishing. He transported materials from the Nobi region to Yokohama, and around 1875 (year 8 of the Meiji era) he gathered talented artists and materials from each region, and established a factory in Yokohama that specialized in over-glazing. Initially, after establishing the first factory in Onoe Town, Yokohama, it grew steadily and developed into a large export company with a total of four factories such as in Aioi Town and Tokiwa Town. Together (more…)

Kubo Soshun 1st 初代 久保祖舜

1841-1921maleyashima potteryIn year eight of the Meiji era, a potter originated Kankake-ware in Shodoshima, the origins of which are said to be Gennai-ware, which was originated by Hiraga Gennai. Using soft clay in the style of Raku-ware, it is characterized by its dark brown/dark green glaze.Also, the kiln was moved to Takamatsu in year 38 of the Meiji era, and the previous Kankake-ware was improved and Cochin-style (Kankakei-ware or Soshun-ware) pottery was made and sold as a specialty of the area. Later on it was also renamed Yashima-ware (Different from the Mitani family). After the death of Komakichi, his child (more…)

Kikko Shogetsu 1st 初代 吉向松月

1784-1861malekikko potteryHe was born as the son of Toda Genbei, a samurai of the Ozu domain in Iyo Province.His family name was Toda (later Yoshimukai), his given name was Jihei, and his given name was Jusoken or Shogetsu.He studied under Raku Ryonyu, Kiyomizu Rokubey, Takahashi Dohachi, and Asai Shusai.He studied pottery in Kyoto and opened his own kiln in 1804 in Juso village in Osaka (now Yodogawa Ward, Osaka City).Jihei had no heirs, so he called his family’s Kameji to adopt his nephew Yoemon.In 1819, under the order of Mizuno Tadakuni, the magistrate of temples and shrines, Jihei presented food (more…)

Abe Omi 阿部碧海

1841-1910malekutani porcelain A businessman from the Meiji era who exported items overseas with a focus on Kutani ware.He started the “Omi kiln” in 1869 for members of samurai families; appointed Utsumi Kichizo as the factory chief; invited Haruna Shigeharu, Iwanami Gyokuzan, Iiiyama Katei, and other exceptional potters; and began production with roughly 80 artists. At the same time, he sought trade routes for overseas exports, cooperated with Marunaka Magohei to open branches in Kobe and Nagasaki, and won awards while exhibiting at the Paris 1878 Exposition. However, the factory was closed in 1880 due to the business worsening. (more…)

Setosuke 瀬戸助

early Edo period (1603-1868 CE) The name and mark of “Setosuke” have been passed down and remembered in Edo, Iyo, Kyoto, Ise, Echizen, Kaga, and Etchu, but it is unknown whether they are all the same individual, they are different potters of the same style, or they are potters that have traveled completely different paths. In general, it is said that Iyo Setosuke involved a potter in Seto (Setosuke) being invited to fire earthenware by Matsudaira Sadayuki, the feudal lord of the Matsuyama Domain, when he retreated to Higashino in 1658. He is said to have been adept at making (more…)

Kin’unken 錦雲軒

This is a kiln in Awataguchi, Kyoto that Osaki Kyubei operated from the Bakumatsu to the Meiji era.At first, it mainly produced painted ceramics, such as patterns of painted plants and flowers, that were unique to Awata ware, but once the Meiji era began, it started to engage in overseas trading with Kinkozan and Obiyama. In addition, when the Kyoto Prefectural Government established an office to encourage industry and promoted the research and improvement of various handicrafts, Osaki Kyubei incorporated cloisonne techniques into his company to produce ceramics and cloisonne ware to be sold overseas.For cloisonne ware, he started the (more…)

Sakaguchi Sazan 坂口砂山

The end of Edo period-maleuchide potteryHe is a potter of the Uchide ware style who thrived in Ashiya City in Hyogo Prefecture from the Bakumatsu to the Meiji era.Among his existing works, there are many high-quality tea sets of the Kyo ware style. He was especially adept at copies of Ninsei’s works. (more…)

Nishiura Enji 5th 五代 西浦圓治

1856-1914maleThe 1st generation Nishiura Enji was a potter from Tajimi in Mino Province and endeavored to improve Mino ware, even becoming the executive director of the Mino Kiln around the Bunsei eta (1818 – 1830). However, the 3rd – 5th generation Enji would begin to establish their works as Nishiura ware around the Meiji era to the Taisho era.In terms of styles, the 1st and 2nd generations mainly focused on blue and white pottery during Bakumatsu, but starting around 1883 under the lead of the 3rd generation, overglaze and other techniques were used to produce works with elaborate Japanese decorations (more…)

Tominaga Genroku 富永源六

1859-1920malearita pocelainnabeshima porcelainHe was born as the eldest son of the kiln owner Tominaga Seibei and succeeded the family business in Meiji 22 (1889). He constructed a new kiln and repeated research and improvements to create his own style that combined a high-quality base that is on the same level as Arita ware with the inked outlines for the underglaze used in Nabeshima ware.Furthermore, the characteristic works that incorporate Art Nouveau elements represented Saga Prefecture during the 4th National Industrial Exhibition in Meiji 28 (1895) and won 2nd place at the Arita 52 Competitive Exhibition during the following year. His (more…)

Fukuda Kyokusui 福田旭水

1856-1928malekinkazan pottery He is a potter of Kinkazan ware.At first, Kyokusui was a tea store owner, but he began creating Raku ware, which carried on the traditions from the Edo period, along with other students of tea ceremony. In addition to Raku ware, he opened a kiln and began creating teacups, tea sets for green tea, and tea bowls, as well as goods for daily use. At the time, his works were widely distributed as craft goods near the foot of Mount Kinka in Gifu Prefecture, but few are presently in existence, making them valuable as materials for research.His signature (more…)