Kyō Satsuma Ware

Kyō Satsuma (Kyoto Satsuma) ware, known for its gorgeous colors, meticulous technique, and ornately detailed painting, was first developed born some 150 years ago in the early Meiji period (1868–1912).

The painting technique used in Kyoto’s Satsuma-style ware is said to be the invention of the sixth generation Kinkōzan Sōbei (1824–1884). The Kinkōzan were a famous family of Kyoto Awataguchi potters who made ceramics that were used at Shōren'in, a temple closely tied to the imperial family, and by the shoguns of the Edo government. In fact the shogun is said to have granted them the name Kinkōzan. With the upheavals at the end of the Edo period, however, and the reforms of the subsequent Meiji government, the potters lost their traditional patrons and had to develop new markets.

The Kinkōzan continued to enlarge their business throughout the Meiji period to the point where the production of Kyō Satuma exceeded the original Satsuma made in Kagoshima.

The numerous collections of Kyoto Satsuma in Europe and the U.S. bespeak the success of Kyō Satsuma on the export market. Among the numerous museums with Kyō Satsuma holdings are the Victoria and Albert Museum in the U.K., the Guimet Museum of Asian Art in France and the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the U.S., which house Kyō Satsuma vases, incense burners, bowls, and dishes in their collections.

Kyō Satsuma production was initiated with an eye on the international market, and it reflects the trends of the late 19th century soon after Japan had reopened its doors, depicting Japan as the West wanted to see it. The heavy use of gold, the typical Japanese paintings of genre scenes or birds and flowers, and the many coffee cups and teapots produced all catered to Western preferences and life styles. Pairs of vases were frequently used as lamps or as decorations for fireplaces.

Time passed, however, and one ceramic painter on seeing the superlative skill of Kyō Satsuma could hardly believe the paintings to be drawn by human hands. She was so moved that she embarked on recreating the techniques. The ceramics themselves were her teachers: she studied them for their designs, pigments, and brush techniques. After laborious trials and errors, Kyō Satsuma was revived for our time. This is similar to the way the Rinpa painter Sakai Hōitsu (1761–1828) learned his art from the paintings of Ogata Kōrin (1658–1716).

With Meiji-period Satsuma ware as a base, Kyō Satsuma is now being updated to fit the life style of contemporary customers, such as using porcelain as well as earthenware. Today the production of Kyō Satsuma ware continues to evolve with various works being created in the Cu-nyo Workshop located in Tanbabashi, Kyoto.