The concentration of pottery production areas in this area, including Imari ware, Arita ware, and Hasami ware, is a product of Hideyoshi’s invasion of Korea, and began when potters who came from Korea settled there and discovered high-quality pottery stone. After this, the Chinese Civil War caused a decrease in porcelain exports from China, and Imari ware was fortunate enough to replace the demand in Europe. Furthermore, the trade route at the time, which ran from Southeast Asia through the Indian Ocean, was controlled by the Dutch East India Company, and Japan was fortunate enough to be open to trade with the Netherlands during the period of national isolation. It seems to me that these three miracles have made the ceramics industry thrive today.
During the Edo period, the ceramics industry was under the control of the feudal domain, and talented people were gathered there, enriching the domain’s finances. Imari ware (Nabeshima ware) is said to have confined its potters to narrow mountainous areas and installed a checkpoint to prevent the outflow of its techniques.
Hasami ware, which is used for everyday use, was apparently launched as an independent brand from Arita ware after regulations for the labeling of origin were established, and it has maintained a strong position as a product for everyday use. What originally prompted me to visit the Hasami ware workshop in Nakaoyama was the workshop’s name (reverse seal) engraved on the back of the rice bowls I use every day. Hasami ware is made for everyday use, so large quantities are fired at once, and so there are still traces of climbing kilns built along the mountain slopes. From the walking path around these kilns, you can see the many chimneys of the kilns, which is quite picturesque, but there are quite a few ups and downs, so we recommend taking a walk before shopping.
There were no foreign tourists at Nakaoyama, but there were many foreign visitors in the world-famous Okawauchi town of Imari. They hold pottery markets in different seasons, so it’s easier to stop by at those times and there are many bargains to be had. However, it can get very crowded. There is still a workshop in Okawauchi Town, but it is so small that most of the factories are located outside.
The autumn pottery market was happening at the time, and there were a few stalls set up along the way. It has nothing to do with pottery, and I was caught by an older man from the Ureshino tea producing area in Saga, who gave me a lecture on how to brew tea. The key is to use a teapot with a deep tea strainer so that the tea leaves can move freely, and not to move the leaves inside once the hot water is poured in. To avoid bitterness, do not turn the teapot, and do not steep the tea for too long, in order to preserve its vibrant color. This certainly makes the tea flavor linger in your mouth for hours, but the amount of tea leaves that tea makers generously add is impossible to replicate at home.
Detour
When you think of kappa, you probably think of the Tono Monogatari(Story) from Iwate Prefecture or the trademark of Kyoto’s Kizakura Sake Brewery, which is famous for its commercials. However, Matsuura Ichi Brewery has had a connection with kappa for even longer than that. The reason is that a kappa mummy was discovered in the brewery. The real thing is enshrined here. We don’t know if it’s really a kappa, but we don’t know why it was kept in this storehouse. I think it’s better to leave it as a mystery without investigating.
The aroma of the Junmai Ginjo had a gorgeous melon aroma, and I remembered that Matsuura City is a melon-producing region. Surprisingly, this brewery specializes in plum wine, made by soaking pickled plums in undiluted sake, not shochu. You’ll be surprised at how rich the flavor is, so be sure to give it a try.
