Hasami ceramic from the view point of historical document - Focusing on “Kurawanka” in the 18th and 19th century -

Abstract

Hasami-cho is located in the middle of Nagasaki Prefecture, northern part of Higashisonogi-gun, and is the only town in Nagasaki that does not have a coastline. Hasamicho,which belonged to the Omura-han has been mass-produced as a pottery production area since the early Edo period. Hasami-yaki has been developed as a ceramic industry along with Arita-yaki and Mikawachi-yaki through 400 years. Hasami has 36 series of climbing kilns and had not only made great achievements in spreading porcelain widely among the common people, but also been a great influence on Japanese pottery culture, especially “Kurawanka”. Kurawanka is one type of popular ceramics that have been used for a long time as decorations and tableware, and is one of the things that can be boasted as a traditional Japanese culture. Until the Edo period, ceramics were still out of reach for the common people, but Kurawanka was produced and sold in large quantities by Imari merchants in Edo and Osaka. Kurawanka had succeeded in inspiring a feeling of warmth and familiarity among the common people and played an important role in the traditional cuisine of Japan at that time