edo period

Kodera Tobei 小寺藤兵衛

1830-1886maleOne of the Meiji Kutani masters, he first studied Japanese painting under Matsunamiya Chozaemon, a painter from the Kaga domain.In 1869, he joined a factory of Abe Oumi (1842-1910) and taught painting at the Ishikawa Prefectural Industrial Promotion Office, and in 1935, he began studying designs under Noritomi Keijiro and compiled a catalogue of reproductions of old pottery. (more…)

Kobori Enshu 小堀遠州

1578-1645malePractitioner of the art of tea ceremony and feudal lord of the Omi-Komuro domain during the early Edo period. He was born in Omi province. From a young age he received special education from his father Shinsuke Masatsugi, took over the main school of tea ceremony continued by Sen no Rikyu and Furuta Oribe, and ascended to the position of tea ceremony instructor for the originators of the Tokugawa dynasty. In year 13 of the Keichou era (1608), he took the role of overseer for the construction of Sunpu Castle, and in doing so, he was bequeathed the official court (more…)

Hon’ami Koetsu 本阿弥光悦

1558-1637malekyo potteryBorn in Kyoto, Honami Koetsu was a multi-disciplinary artist of many faces: a craftsman, calligrapher, painter, publisher, gardener, and maker of Noh masks. Known as the da Vinci of Japan, he had an excellent sense of design and left numerous masterpieces in all artistic genres. In the world of calligraphy, Honami is considered to be one of the three great calligraphers of the Kanei era alongside Nobutada Konoe and Shokado Shojo. He is the founder of the Koetsu style. The Honami family was a high-ranking family of leading businessmen. The family had been well-known as sword connoisseurs since the (more…)

Nagae Shizan 長江司山

Late Edo period-Meiji periodsmalekobe-satsuma potteryShizan, whose real name was Nagae Tosaburo.He was born in 1867 in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, to a father, Nagae Juntaro, and a mother, Yori.Although the exact date is not known, he left for Kobe around the middle of the Meiji period (1868-1912), where he worked as a Satsuma-yaki painter.In 1902, he applied for a change of domicile to Kobe.So at least by this time, his business in Kobe must have been on the right track.He produced the best kobe-satsuma in the Nunobiki area of Kobe city. His work was even exhibited at European Expos etc., (more…)

Naruse Seishi 成瀬誠志

1845-1923maletokyo-satsuma potteryBorn as the second son to father Shusuke, a carpenter, after training in pottery with Shinohara Riheiji at the age of 13, he opened an independent kiln in 1866 at the age of 21. However, in 1871, he closed the kiln, moved to Tokyo, and settled into a park residence around Shiba, Tokyo, where he worked with several potters to produce works by painting Uwa-e on unglazed pottery sent from Satsuma, which they then did all the processing for, making them the representative potters of ‘Tokyo Satsuma’. In 1866, he returned to Nasubigawa in search of a more serious (more…)

Nakamura Shuto 中村秋塘

1864-1928kutani porcelainBeing the first generation, he took over the family business of ceramic painting in 1877, and studied overglaze enamels independently. He was regarded as a master of Kutani-ware in the Taisho era and made great efforts in the development of Kutani-ware by his appointment as head of the Enuma Kutani Ceramics Trade Association etc.In addition, his eldest son (Shigeru) succeeded as the second generation Shuto, and second son (Midori) succeeded as the third generation, and later, became independent as Nakamura Midori. The head of the Nakamura family is now the 5th generation Mr. Nakamura Shuto, who is currently active (more…)

Nagahara Eisuke 永原永助

1830-1891malefujina potteryBorn as the third generation of the Nagahara family, potters of Fujina- ware, who had been producing ceramics at the preference of Matsue feudal lord, Matsudaira Fumai, from around 1816 in Izumo province (Shimane prefecture). He continued the family business and produced gifts to be given to the former domain administrative headquarters etc., during the difficult management period when the Shogunate was coming to an end for the new era of Meiji.Many of his works were made by pouring brown glazes, that is, yellow and amber glazes over them. He focused mainly on making tea bowls such as tea (more…)

Togo Jyukatsu 東郷寿勝

1855-1936malenaeshirogawa potterysatsuma potteryA descendant of a Korean potter who was brought to Japan following Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s war endeavors. He inherited Kagoshima Naeshirogawa ware.He actively sold Satsuma ware to Kobe and Yokohama in the Meiji era. In 1887, he purchased his samurai stock and changed his surname from “Park” to “Togo.” He exhibited his works at the 3rd National Industrial Exhibition in 1897, and at the St. Louis Expo in 1937. He was also very close to the 12th generation Chin Jukan, and he was also one of the people who greatly supported Chin Jukan ware after his death. (more…)

Tomioka Haruko 富岡春子

1847-1940femaleShe was born as the third daughter of Sasaki Yoshimitsu, a feudal lord of Ozu.She was taken in as the third wife of Tomioka Tessai—who later became known as a leading figure in modern Japanese painting—when she was 26 years old in 1872. She is also known for protecting her family during hardship. The bowls she made are often distinguished by inscriptions of her own songs on them. (more…)

Tokoyama Gyokuho 床山玉侊

Late Edo period – Meiji periodmelekoto porcelainHe lived in Hara-mura, Sakata-gun as one of the painters of Koto ware.He was one of the founders of Kabunakama with other painters such as Kenyu, Sekisui, and Jinensai in 1856 with permission from the Hikone Domain. He painted and sold his works from home, using the domain kiln as base. (more…)

Totei 桃亭

Late Edo periodawata potteryraku potteryThe pottery was fired by a potter called Totei of Kyoto Daigo, but the actual firing period is said to be around the Keio era (1865-68), towards the end of the Edo period.One theory suggests that his style is very similar to that of Awata ware, but there are also Raku ware that were found, and he also used “Raku” on double frame stamps. His actual relationship with Raku ware is however largely unknown. (more…)

Toshikian Kisabu 年木庵喜三

1845-1886maleFukaumi Heizaemon was a potter who worked at a kiln for generations in Arita, Saga clan. The Fukaumi family, meanwhile, was based on the prestigious kiln since the Korean potter Fukaumi Soden and his wife, Hyakubasen, who were naturalized in the early Edo period. In March 1868, at the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, he pleaded with the feudal lord to open up trade with Eizaemon Fukagawa.There was only one trade tag at that time, but this was increased to 10, effectively beginning the foreign trade of Arita ware. In 1975, his eldest son, Suminosuke Fukaumi, and Takeji Fukami, Eizaemon (more…)

Kinkodo 欽古堂

1765-1837maleHis real name is Toki Kamesuke. Originally he was a clay figurine maker who sold his works on the Fushimi Kaido-road, but later he studied under Okuda Eisen and turned to pottery.He excelled in celadon, dyeing, and copying cochin ware. It is said that he was also invited to the celadon kiln in Settsu Sanda to teach celadon techniques.He is also known as the potter who invented the arabesque openwork incense burner. (more…)

Tsukatani Chikken 塚谷竹軒

1826-1893malekutani porcelainFrom the latter half of the Edo period to the Meiji era, he was a Kutani ware potter. Kutani ware was booming under the invitation of Eiraku Wazen. However, the Daishoji clan, which had been the protector of Kutani ware, disappeared with the abolition of feudal Japan, making it difficult for the pottery industry to maintain its operations. Tsukatani Asa (Chikken), a former samurai of the Daishoji clan, protected the main Kutani kiln after Wazen’s departure.He focused on painting in blue as opposed to red, which was the distinctive style of Miyamotoya kiln at that time. (more…)

Tsujii Harima 辻井播磨

Mid-Edo periodFrom Yamashiro Province (Kyoto Prefecture). According to ES, and Morse’s “Nihon-tokji-mokuroku (Japanese Pottery Catalog)” the stamp was originally only “Harima,” and “Tsujii Harima” was a potter who inherited his skills afterwards. Meanwhile, according to the “Ko-to-isetsu (Consideration of Pottery)”, “Harima” is a pseudonym of “Tsujii Harima,” who is said to be a potter who lived around the 18th century as a clay stove master. (more…)

Wakabayashi Kisaku 若林喜作

Late Edo periodmalekoto porcelainWakabayashi Kisaku worked on Koto ware, and from the Meiji era was active as a renowned potter who worked at Kanzan Denshichi (Kato Kanzan)’s kiln. He took on the trade name “Juzan” and opened his own kiln after Denshichi’s kiln was closed down. (more…)

Watano Kichiji 綿野吉二

1860-1934malekutani porcelainWatano Kichiji was from Terai in Kaga Province (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture). His family had worked producing Kutani ware for generations, but began making works for export starting with his father, Genemon. Watano established a direct export route to Paris and, in 1876, opened a branch location in Kobe. In 1880, he moved the branch location to Yokohama and established overseas exports of ceramics bearing aka-e (‘red paintings’) and gold-leafed Kutani ware. He also added a kiln dedicated to applying printed figures to the main kiln in Terai, Kanazawa. This kiln was named “Tenraido,” and had 40 ceramic artwork painters (more…)

Gottfried Wagener

1831-1891maleGottfried Wagener was from Hanover, Germany. After majoring in science and graduating from a German university, he traveled to Nagasaki in 1868. There, in 1870, he was invited by Lord Nabeshima of Saga to work at the Arita Porcelain Production Factory, where he contributed by teaching scientific methods to create glazes and also by experimenting with coal-fueled kilns. He later moved to Tokyo, where he held successive positions at several different schools teaching physics and chemistry. On the side, he was also involved with administrative duties for exhibitions at the first 1873 Vienna World’s Fair. Beginning with Tokyo, he traveled (more…)

Wake Kitei 和気亀亭

1826-1902maleWake Kitei was born the first son of Kameyatai Yoshiro, part of a family who had worked as potters for generations. He studied pottery from a young age and, in 1862, at the age of 36, he inherited headship of the family. He took on the surname Wake in 1868 and was officially named Wake Heikichi, but he is generally referred to by his trade name, Wake Kitei.In 1873, he assumed a position serving at the Kyoto Prefectural Auditorium for exhibitions, and, in addition to presenting works at domestic exhibitions, he also received bronze medals at the 1876 World’s Fair (more…)

Watanabe Yujitsuan 渡部又日庵

1792-1871maleraku potteryWatanabe Yujitsuan was from Okutono in Owari Province (present-day Okutonocho in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture).He was born the second son of Osumi Province mayor Noritomo, who was part of the Matsudaira family. He became the adoptive heir to his uncle, Watanabe Hanzo-tsunamitsu, and took on the surname Watanabe. Afterward, he governed the Terabe region in Mikawa Province (the eastern part of present-day Aichi Prefecture) as the 10th-generation castle lord.He had an affinity for tea ceremony and, after ending his time living in seclusion, he set up a hut in Ozone, Nagoya, where he adopted the artist name “Yujitsuan” and began (more…)