Porcelain production is said to have started in this area in the 1610s, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army marched to Korea and Nabeshima Naomou brought back Ri Sanpei, who discovered ceramic stones used to make porcelain at Mount Izumiyama in Arita, and this was the general name for porcelain produced in the Hizen Province (modern Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures) centred on Arita Town in Saga Prefecture, which was the shipping port for porcelain.The name derives from Imaritsu (port), the port from which the porcelain was shipped. Imari ware was the first domestically produced porcelain in Japan, as before that time only ceramics were made from clay and fired at low temperatures. Ko-Imari refers mainly to Imari ware fired during the Edo period, and there is no fixed definition of its age. It is also called by different names depending on the date of production and style, Those made between the 1610s and 1640s are called early Imari. Ai-ko-kutani (style) for underglaze blue from the 1640s to 1670s, and iroe-ko-kutani (style) for overglaze blue, The style of dyed ware from the 1670s to the 1700s was known as Ai- Kakiemon (style), while that painted with coloured paintings on a milky white body,...

Imari ware designs are so varied that they are never boring to look at, and are full of rich imagination and humour.Many of these designs may appear at first glance to be simple patterns or characters, but they are imbued with deep meaning. The design of this small cup is another example.At first glance, it appears to be just the Chinese characters for 'Fukuju', pine needles, a rake and a broom, but when you unravel each element, you realise that it contains a variety of auspicious meanings. Firstly, 'Fuku' means happiness and 'Kotobuki' means longevity, two auspicious characters often used in Imari ware designs.Furthermore, the pine tree, with its lush green leaves all year round, is a symbol of longevity, while the pine needles are a symbol of marital bliss, as the two leaves remain firmly connected even after they fall off. The rake has the meaning of 'grabbing good fortune and not letting go' or 'stirring up good fortune', while the broom is believed to be inhabited by the Hahakigami (broom god) since ancient times and is considered a lucky charm for safe delivery and to ward off evil spirits.In particular, it is said that decorating the front door...