Porcelain ware manufactured at Okawachiyama. These plates and small bowls feature the blue glaze that is popular in this village.
The area around Arita and Imari, in Saga, are historically very famous for ceramics, and porcelain in particular. The first porcelain clay (kaolin) deposits in Japan were found here. A Korean potter by the name of Risampei was bought to Arita by the feudal lord of Saga, Lord Nabeshima, and he discovered kaolin clay in 1616 at Izumiyama (Izumi mountain). The porcelain ware made in Arita was transported by boat from Imari, the local port near Arita, to Nagasaki, were it was shipped all over the world. Called Imari ware after the port, it was sought after all across Europe. Within 60 years over two million pieces of porcelain from Arita had been exported. It was forbidden by the Shogun, Tokugawa, to sell porcelain ware to Japanese commoners, saving it for the nobility, and for export.
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