Collection: SHINZAN Arita

The area straddling Saga and Nagasaki was once known as "Hizen" and is still a ceramic production center with many kilns remaining today.

The origin of Hizen Yoshida Pottery can be traced back to 1577, when a shiny white stone was discovered at the bottom of the Narutani River, upstream from the Haguchi River that runs through Yoshida Village.

In 1598, Nabeshima Naoshige, the lord of Saga Prefecture, who brought back many Korean potters during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea, sent one of them to Yoshida to make ceramics. During the Kyowa period (1801-1804), the business further expanded, and Hizen Yoshida Pottery flourished, centering on tableware and other miscellaneous daily utensils. During the Meiji period (1868-1912), a pottery manufacturing company, Seiseisha, was established by former samurai families and expanded its sales channels to China and Korea.

At that time, there were a number of clans in Hizen, and pottery made by the Nabeshima clan has a history of being classified as Arita-yaki. The area centering on Akae-cho in Arita is called Uchiyama, the area around it is called Sotozan, and the area around it is called Ootozan. Hizen Yoshida-yaki, located in this Ootozan area, also boasts a 400-year history, just like Arita-yaki.

Hizen Yoshida-yaki, like Arita-yaki, boasts a history of 400 years. The company specializes mainly in flower-patterned earthenware bottles and teapots, and distributes its products throughout the country through its own sales channels. The company uses efficient processes for handmade products such as tinting, copperplate engraving, and red painting, enabling mass production and smooth shipping.