The beginning ..........

During the Sengoku period (1[zasłonięte]477-15), the feudal lords of Japan struggled to survive,
fighting one another for control of power and territory. To the contrary, they enjoyed a quiet
way of life, practicing a tea ceremony called as sado or chanoyu in Japanese.
Oda Nobunaga (1[zasłonięte]546-15), one of the winning samurai lords who came very close to unify
the country, appreciated chanoyu as well. After he was assassinated by Akechi Mitsuhide at
the Honnoji Temple, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 -1598) had become a ruler of Japan. It was
during his reign, between 1592 - 1598, Hideyoshi started a war against China, ordering other
lords to join with his army including the lord Nabeshima of Saga in the southern Japan.
Although his campaigns had failed, many potters and craftsmen were captured and brought
back to Japan.

In the early 17th century, it is said that the Korean potters hired by the lord Nabeshima
discovered a kaolin in Arita and started to make a porcelain for the first time in Japanese
history. This Hideyoshi's foreign war is also called as "Chawan Senso" which can be translated
as "Tea Cup War".


About IMARI..........

Imari porcelain was first potted at Arita Sarayama in the 1610's : sarayama refers to an
original, or an ancient site of a kiln. Then it was carried to a port of Imari just to the north of
Arita for trade. By popular demand, the more kilns were built, spreading outside of the Arita
area.

In 1637, the Nabeshima clan started to regulate the numbers of the local kilns to protect their
business territory from outsiders. And soon, in the 1640's, a new technique of enameling was
introduced to Arita, allowing the makers to decorate with colors of red, green, yellow and
purple instead of just blue. This type of the porcelain is called akae or iroe.

Around this period, China was entering into a civil war caused by rebels. When Beijing was
invaded in 1644, finally the Ming dynasty came to the end. Since China's porcelain production
was disrupted due to this turmoil, the Dutch East India Company (VOC), exporting Chinese
goods to Europe including porcelains, had lost their sauces and needed to find a
replacement, They found Imari products not too far from China in Japan. A stunning tall vase
and a large charger for decorative use were brought to Europe by the Dutch merchant.

And later, when the foreign export slowed down in the late 17th century, colorful dishes made
for household use were shipped out to Osaka and Edo to a wealthy merchant's home.

A word "Imari" had become to be known as a beautiful high quality porcelain to the whole world.