Monument commemorating Lord Maeda Toshiharu as the founder of Kutani ware

In 1655, the first lord of the Daishōji domain, Maeda Toshiharu (1618-1660), initiated the region’s first production of porcelain. Daishōji was an offshoot of the Maeda clan’s center, the Kaga domain. Toshiharu’s extraordinary enthusiasm for cultural and artistic pursuits led to success in establishing Honshu’s first porcelain manufacturing center. Kutani ware, then, can be understood as emerging out of the interests in culture amongst the Maeda clan in Daishōji.