Koishiwara Ware

The kiln set up by the feudal lord of the local Kuroda clan, in the 17th century at the beginning of the Edo period (1600-1868), was the first to be set up in Chikuzen in northern Kyushu. Large porcelain urns, jars and sake flasks were made under the name of Nakano ware but in the middle of the 18th century, pottery was being produced under the name of Koishiwara ware.

The special features of this ware lie in the way in which the pottery is decorated using brush strokes on the large dishes and the large pots with their chattermarks. Using techniques which have barely altered over the centuries, urns, drinking vessels and flower vases are still being made today along with a range of tableware and some figurines. This appealingly simple ware is being produced by 50 firms employing 164 people, 14 of whom are government recognized Master Craftsmen.