A wealth of diverse techniques: Arita ware -Enjoying Pottery-

Following pottery from around Japan,

this "Enjoying Pottery" series rediscovers its many charms.

For this final installment, we pick up Arita ware from Saga Prefecture,

which stands as the prototype for Japanese porcelain.

◇In Search of Arita Ware

In 1616, a potter who had crossed over to Japan from the Korean peninsula

discovered high-quality white porcelain stone in the Arita area of Saga Prefecture, marking the beginning of Arita ware.

The wares fired using this white porcelain stone are said to be the first porcelain made in Japan.

Porcelain production flourished in this region afterward, but

in 1637, in order to protect the forests, the number of kilns was limited to just 13,

giving rise to a town now known as Arita Senken (Arita's Thousand Houses),

protected today as a district of historic buildings.

Arita ware was already being exported overseas as early as around 1650,

and wares made across the region from Saga to Nagasaki Prefecture, including Arita ware,

are said to have been affectionately known collectively as Imari.

As porcelain production spread throughout Japan,

the popularity of Arita ware waned, but during the Meiji era it is said to have

regained popularity when it was exhibited at world expositions held in Europe.

From high-end tableware to everyday pottery, and even as fine art,

it came to be valued in many forms, and even today, some 400 years after production first began,

it remains a type of pottery cherished by many.

◇The Strength and Beauty of Arita Ware

If we had to sum up the appeal of Arita ware in a single phrase,

it would first be the beauty of its translucent white porcelain.

The porcelain stone used in Arita ware can be fired uniformly,

producing a smooth and beautiful body.

Furthermore, by firing at a high temperature of around 1300 degrees,

the wares become thin and light yet sturdy—so hard that, when tapped, they produce a metallic ring.

The Arita ware of Risogama kiln also

makes full use of this beauty of white porcelain.

Treating the finely textured white porcelain body as if it were a canvas,

iroe (overglaze enamel painting) applies rich, colorful designs after an initial firing.

Sometsuke (underglaze blue) is dyed in an indigo color called gosu.

The designs, finished by craftsmen with both boldness and delicacy, have a three-dimensional presence.

Patterns painted in vermilion and indigo feel distinctly Japanese in places,

while also evoking the styles of China and Korea.

The vessels are decorated with sometsuke not only on the surface but on the reverse side as well.

Whether viewed from the front, turned over, or seen from the side,

you can see that the beauty has been expressed without compromise, with careful attention paid to the many ways the user might view the piece.

Risogama is a kiln opened on the former residence of Ri Sanpei,

the potter said to be the leading figure of Arita ware.

The first-generation potter worked on ornaments and obi clasps, and today the fourth generation carries on the tradition.

Beyond the traditional vessels typically associated with Arita ware,

the kiln continues to produce Arita ware that feels fresh and modern even today—

suited to everything from a chabudai (low dining table) to a Western-style table—

using white porcelain and indigo sometsuke.

◇New Arita Ware, Carried into the Future

Arita ware, with its long history, can be said to have changed its character

with each passing era.

1616/arita japan is an Arita ware brand born out of a quest

to explore new possibilities for Arita ware.

Its parent company is Momota Toen, a long-established kiln

that has been making pottery in Arita since 1647 (Shoho 4).

By taking into account contemporary food culture—such as the increasing internationalization of eating habits—

the brand has reexamined every basic element, from raw materials and molding to glazes,

aiming to produce vessels that are easier to use in daily life while still carrying forward the history of Arita ware.

At first glance, the vessels of 1616/arita japan could easily be mistaken for Western tableware.

The TY Square Plate series, though simple pieces in plain white,

feature corners at all four sides and deliberately omit the kodai (foot ring) usually found on the underside of a vessel—

a design choice that catches the eye.

Without a foot ring, the plates work not only for Japanese food but for Western dishes eaten with a knife and fork,

and they won't rattle or shift on the table.

Also, by leaving the surface unglazed, the plates show off the beautiful white color

unique to porcelain, just as it is—a look that lets the food itself stand out.

The Color Porcelain series, created by a Dutch design unit,

is dyed in soft, pale colors distinctive to Arita ware.

This, too, features a color palette rarely seen in Japanese tableware,

giving it a decidedly contemporary feel.

From larger plates suited for main dishes to milk and sugar pots for tea time,

these are items that hold new possibilities for Arita ware.

◇Ways to Enjoy Pottery

Arita ware is highly regarded even as fine art,

its beautiful forms and use of color standing out all the more.

Both the Risogama and 1616/arita japan pieces introduced here

are a delight to look at on their own.

Mame-zara (small plates), which bring a sense of joy just by being lined up together.

Even when not being used as tableware, why not display them on a kitchen counter

as a form of visible storage?

The mame-zara from Risogama, with their simple white porcelain and gosu sometsuke,

can also serve well as small trinket dishes.

They blend naturally with materials like glass and beads.

(Earrings placed on the plate: FALBE Berry Beads Hoop Earrings)

1616/arita japan, which also carries a modern atmosphere,

Since we have this chance, let's create a table setting that makes the most of that color palette.

It also pairs well with vividly colored tableware, making for a lovely Western-style arrangement.

(Tableware paired above: Wajima Kirimoto guinomi (sake cup))

◇

Rediscovering the charm of Japanese pottery

How did you enjoy this series on the pleasures of pottery?

Materials unique to each region, and the encounters and influences from other countries and other areas.

Just by looking at a single piece of pottery, you can catch a glimpse of the history

that has been woven together by so many people across generations.

Japanese pottery will surely continue to pass through the hands of many people in the years to come.

We hope this series has helped you feel even a little of its charm.

◇Back numbers of the pottery enjoyment series

>> Exploring Mino ware, a representative tableware tradition cultivated over the years

>> The rich, colorful charm of Kutani ware