Jewels of Koto Ware

The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park

This event has ended.

Koto Ware was born in the later part of the Edo period in Hikone, a castle town with an atmosphere evoking “little Edo.” In Tenpo 13 (1842), Koto became the official kiln of the Hikone clan and entered its golden age. In the brief period until the kiln ceased operation in Bunkyu 2 (1862), high quality stoneware and porcelain was fired there under the tutelage of the clan’s daimyos, Ii Naoaki and Ii Naosuke, who were also known as connoisseurs of fine pottery and art. Among the many new kilns that sprang up across Japan around the end of the Edo period, Koto ware is especially known for its high quality. This exhibition introduces masterpieces of Koto ware from collections around the country, providing a comprehensive picture of the charm of these jewels of ceramic art.