Nabeshima ware

The export of Japanese ware from the Imari region to the rest of the world began during the latter half of the 17thcentury. At the time, because the port from which such ware was shipped was called “Imari,” the general term for pottery exported from Imari became “Imari ware,” a name that ultimately became widely known overseas. 

Outside of Japan, “Nabeshima ware” made in the Imari region is often called “Imari ware.” However, even among the various types of Imari ware, Nabeshima ware occupies a special place because during the Edo Period, it was made specifically as gifts presented only to shoguns and feudal lords. For this reason, only genuinely talented craftsmen were chosen to create Nabeshima ware, using undisclosed techniques in secret kilns. Embodying such traditions and techniques that have been carried on to this day, Nabeshima ware is said to be the most exquisite kind of porcelain in Japan, with an elegance and refinement fit for nobility.

The outstanding craftsmanship of Nabeshima Pottery

Shaped by the hands of masters of the potter's wheel, these ceramics preserve the traditions of the past.