Arita-yaki – The Birth of Japanese Porcelain

There is a moment in the history of Japanese ceramics that can be dated with exact precision: the year 1616. While pottery traditions in Bizen, Shigaraki, or Seto had already grown over centuries, the history of Japanese porcelain began with a single discovery – a kaolin deposit on the hill of Izumiyama near the city of Arita on the island of Kyūshū. What followed was the rapid rise of a ceramics tradition that, within a few decades, would conquer not only Japan but also the princely courts of Europe.

What Is Arita Ware?

Arita-yaki (有田焼) refers to Japanese hard-paste porcelain from the region around the town of Arita in Saga Prefecture in the north of the island of Kyūshū. It is considered the first porcelain produced in Japan and remains to this day one of the most important centers of Japanese porcelain art. Characteristic is the use of fine, white kaolin clay, which is fired at very high temperatures of about 1,300 degrees Celsius and results in a hard, smooth, often slightly translucent surface – a marked contrast to the earthy stoneware traditions such as Bizen ware or Shigaraki ware.

A Korean Potter and the Beginning of an Era

The origins of Arita ware are closely linked to the Japanese invasions of Korea under Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the late 16th century. In the course of these wars, numerous Korean craftsmen, including experienced potters, were brought to Japan. One of them, the potter known as Yi Sam-pyeong (Japanese: Ri Sanpei), discovered high-quality kaolin at Izumiyama hill near Arita in 1616 – the white mineral necessary for porcelain production. This discovery ended a centuries-old East Asian monopoly held by China on porcelain production, and Arita became the first place in Japan where true hard-paste porcelain could be fired.

Rise to a Global Brand: Trade Through the Port of Imari

Numerous large kilns quickly sprang up around Arita, and production grew considerably. Since China was barely able to export due to the political turmoil surrounding the transition from the Ming to the Qing dynasty around the middle of the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) sought an alternative – and found one in Arita. From 1659 onward, large quantities of Arita ware were shipped via the nearby port of Imari to Nagasaki and from there to Europe. Because the goods were traded under the name of their port of shipment, the name Imari ware became established in the West – a circumstance that causes confusion to this day, since Arita-yaki and Imari-yaki essentially describe the same region of origin but historically emphasize different aspects: Arita the region of production, Imari the trade route. This dual naming has persisted even in museum catalogs: the Metropolitan Museum of Art lists pieces from the same kiln chamber, depending on their decoration, either as "Arita ware, Imari type" or as "Hizen ware, Arita type".

Range of Styles: From Ko-Arita to Kakiemon

Over the centuries, several distinct painting traditions developed in Arita. Ko-Arita, the "old Arita," emerged in the early 17th century and is characterized by bold cobalt blue on a white ground, often accompanied by landscape and nature motifs. In the mid-17th century, the potter Sakaida Kakiemon developed his own, notably more restrained style: a delicate palette of persimmon orange, yellow, turquoise, and blue on generously left white ground, frequently featuring asymmetrical nature motifs. The Kakiemon style has been continued by the potter's descendants to this day and significantly influenced European porcelain manufactories such as Meissen; the Metropolitan Museum of Art lists pieces of this group as "Arita ware; Kakiemon type" and describes them as porcelain with cobalt blue underglaze and colored enamels over transparent glaze. Parallel to this, the Iro-Nabeshima style emerged, named after the Nabeshima clan, on whose territory the kaolin deposits and manufactories were located. Nabeshima porcelain was originally produced exclusively for court use and is still considered one of the technically most demanding expressions of Arita-yaki.

Production: From Quarry to Finished Piece

The production of Arita ware is a multi-stage process. First, the kaolin rock is ground into fine powder and processed with water into workable clay. After shaping on the potter's wheel or in molds, an initial firing at a lower temperature follows, the so-called bisque firing, which gives the raw body strength. The piece is then hand-painted – usually with fine brushes and mineral pigments, whereby cobalt blue underglaze painting is traditionally applied before glazing, while colored overglaze painting is applied after an initial glaze firing. A second firing at around 1,300 degrees Celsius finally fixes the colors and permanently fuses them with the glaze. This elaborate handwork, often spread over several weeks, explains why high-quality Arita ware is still produced today primarily in small manufactories rather than through industrial mass production.

Rise and Decline Across the Centuries

The great export success of the 17th and early 18th century ended when China resumed its own porcelain production after the domestic political turmoil and European demand for Japanese ware declined; exports via Imari to Europe largely came to a halt by the mid-18th century. It was not until the opening of Japan in the Meiji period (1868–1912) and the worldwide enthusiasm for Japanese art, so-called Japonism, that Arita ware experienced a second flowering and once again found its way into international exhibitions and European collections. To this day, the tradition in Arita is carried on by numerous manufactories, some of which have existed for centuries.

Arita Porcelain in Everyday Life and as a Collector's Item

Even though Arita-yaki is nowadays mostly associated with elaborately painted display pieces, its practical use as tableware – plates, bowls, cups, vases – has always been and remains a central part of the tradition. It is precisely this combination of everyday usability and artisanal finesse that still makes Arita porcelain so special today: a hand-painted original differs from industrially printed tableware through its fine, minimally irregular brushstrokes, the characteristic depth of the underglaze colors, and often a manufactory or artist's signature on the base of the piece.

Arita Today: Between Tradition and Innovation

The town of Arita itself remains inseparably linked to its porcelain tradition to this day. In the historic town center, numerous manufactories and specialty shops, some of which have existed for centuries, line up one after another, while the actual workshops are traditionally located in the rear alleys of the town – a circumstance that historically also served to protect in-house techniques from competitors. Even today, traces of this centuries-old craft history can be read on the characteristic walls made of old bricks and porcelain shards. Every year, from late April to early May, the Arita Ceramics Fair takes place, one of the largest ceramics festivals in Japan, attracting international visitors as well as local collectors.

The town partnership between Arita and the German porcelain town of Meissen, which has existed since 1979, also points to a historical connection that reaches back to the early modern period: as early as the 18th century, European porcelain manufactories were inspired by Japanese models from Arita, long before the technique of hard-paste porcelain production was discovered in Europe itself. This mutual artistic cross-fertilization between East and West can still be traced today at the Kyushu Ceramic Museum in Arita, which shows a comprehensive collection of historical as well as contemporary pieces.

At densho.de you will find handcrafted Japanese ceramics unique works that make this centuries-old porcelain tradition tangible – each piece sourced individually from Japan. Those who wish to buy Japanese ceramics will find handcrafted Arita pieces in our selection, in which this craftsmanship is reflected to this day in form, color, and motif.

Sources and Literature

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Tureen with rocks, flowers, and birds, Acc.-No. 1975.268.526a, b, metmuseum.org.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Gourd-Shaped Sake Bottle (Tokkuri) with Carved Floral Design and Jewel, Acc.-No. 79.2.805, metmuseum.org.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Vase in Trumpet Shape, Acc.-No. 23.225.120, metmuseum.org.

Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere: Vessels of Influence. China and the Birth of Porcelain in Medieval and Early Modern Japan. Bristol Classical Press, London 2012.