Porcelain shard with inscription of 1780 (An'ei 9), Tobe ware

The oldest records regarding the name “Tobe ware” (“Tobe yaki”) is found in the History of the Ôzu Domain (Ôzu hiroku) from 1740. It references specific ceramic bowls and dishes that were made in the Tobe area, and that ceramic shards similar to Karatsu ware from Kyūshū were excavated from the remains of an old kiln in the area.