The 7th Generation Yazaemon, Satoru Matsumoto, proudly introduces, "Arita Porcelain Lab" the "NEW" Brand of the "Yazaemon Kiln", which has 200 years of history specializing in the "IMARI" style, known for its lavish gold painted designs.…
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The 7th Generation Yazaemon, Satoru Matsumoto, proudly introduces, "Arita Porcelain Lab" the "NEW" Brand of the "Yazaemon Kiln", which has 200 years of history specializing in the "IMARI" style, known for its lavish gold painted designs. The "IMARI" style is one of the traditional "ARITA Porcelain" forms which has been in production for 400 years. Matsumoto successfully combines the art and quality of its historic past with new designs, introducing simple and highly functional tableware pieces for everyday use.
During the Meiji era, a time when modern Japan was still in a state of infancy, it was not widely known around the world that an unparalleled quality of porcelain was being manufactured in Japan. At the time in Europe, “Japonism” was at its height of popularity. “Ukiyoe” Japanese woodblock prints and other traditional artwork contributed a grat deal to the growth of new industry and acquisition of foreign currency of the Meiji Government. In particular, the elegant and fine art of ceramics gained widespread recognition and appreciation, and began to take a stronghold in the German Meissen and French Savres art markets. Even within the various popular Japanese ceramics, it was Arita porcelain that was held in extremely high regard when exhibited at a World Trade Expo, due to its exceptional “Meiji Imari” brand, which uniquely incorporated influences from the East and West into its designs.
Arita ceramics are classified into “Old Imari”, “Kakiemon” and “Ironabeshima” categories. The renowned term “Old Imari” is the common name given to all Arita ceramics manufactured up until the end of the Edo Period, with the exception of the the Kakiemon and Ironabeshima styles.
Approximately one to two million of Old Imari ceramics were exported to Europe from the middle of the 17th Century to the beginning of the 18th Century. People at that time, came to value ceramics higher than other commodities such as gold and silver.
The Meiji Government hoped their “Meiji Imari” would then take the Western countries by storm, in the same manner as the Old Imari during its ‘golden age’ in the 17th century. The Seiji Kaisha was established in 1879 to take charge of operating and expanding this “Meiji Imari” export business.
In 1879, a time when the Meiji government was promoting the advancement of the export industry, the Seiji Kaisha was established by ambitious potters in Arita. The word “Sei” means “mind” or “spirit” – representative of the spirit the craftsmen instilled into the manufacturing of such refined and intricate products. True to its name, Seiji Kaisha produced a product so exquisite that it was awarded a gold medal in the Amsterdam International exhibition, held in The Netherlands in 1883. Furthermore, the “Rokumeikan” was created at the same time, and was used as the preferred dinner set of Seiji Kaisha, used at every evening dinner party, and many an important guest would marvel at the wonderful ceramics on display.
“Meiji Imari of Seiji Kaisha” is in itself a very unique style, unlike that of Old Imari, Kakiemon and Ironabeshima. Meiji Imari is very unique in its stylistic merging of traditional technique with cutting edge technology. This style of ceramic incorporated the finest elements of Japanese spirit and beauty alongside Western knowledge and craft, and came to be utilized by the Imperial Household, and selected as dinner sets in the Rokumeikan. Unfortunately, however, the Seiji Kaisha, after producing a number of masterpiece ceramics, ceased to exist much longer than ten years and along with many of the traditional craftsman skills, faded from the memories of many.
![[The Ceramists’ Soul: Withstanding the test of time. The Meiji Imari Seiji Kaisha Reproduction Project ].](img/project_copy03.gif){kind=small}
![[The Ceramists’ Soul: Withstanding the test of time. The Meiji Imari Seiji Kaisha Reproduction Project ].](img/project_img03.jpg)
Arita ceramics will celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2016. According to the Seiji Kaisha Reproduction Project, ambitious ceramists and pottery representatives will get together in order to discuss history, learn wisdom from elders, and attempt to reintroduce traditional methods that may have been forgotten. For the benefit of the next generation, Arita ceramics wishes to continue to grow and face new challenges through introducing and incorporating new artisan skills, with the hope of continuing to create new products of the utmost quality.
For instance, we will only use the best materials, continuing to use only clay mined from Izumiyama, Arita. Since the Edo period, Arita Ceramics chose this clay for the production of Old Imari, Kakiemon, Ironabeshima, and for most ceramics including Seiji Kaisha up until 1897. This means that it is the true and original source material of Arita ceramics.
Moreover, all designs are hand-drawn in order to reproduce the finest drawing skills of Seiji Kaisha. The top-level ceramic painters study every day, and continue to work hard to meet the highest of quality standards.
The fate of the Seiji Kaisha was tragic, considering the magnificent standard of the works produced. According to the history of Seiji Kaisha, its short life shows us not only simple sentiment but also the symbolic light and shadow of the Japanese modernization in the earlier period of Meiji Era.
I learnt about the Seiji Kaisha upon reading a book on the Arita ceramic industry, written by my great uncle, Genji Matsumoto. This book tells the history of the Arita ceramics industry alongside the biographical tale of Seiji Matsumoto, my great-grandfather. I have heard that Chujiro Kawahara, who was a central figure in the Seiji Kaisha and Seiji Matsumoto’s uncle, did not have any children and therefore took care of Seiji as if he were his own son. Seiji reconstructed Yazaemon Pottery and established the Arita Bussan Company, which was the predecessor of our company.
I considered it my destiny when Takanori Kamachi, the author of “Maboroshi no Meiji Imari – Higeki no Seiji Kaisha” (The Meiji Imari Vision – The Tragedy of Seiji Kaisha), asked me to get involved in the Reproduction Project of Seiji Kaisha. It seems that Mr. Kamachi was interested in Seiji Kaisha after he read my great uncle’s book. He had actually collected many products of Seiji Kaisha, and was so impressed by their magnificence that he was compelled to publish a book about the company.
The Arita ceramics industry has withstood the test of time, succeeding in modernizing ceramic technology to reach new heights of prosperity. Somewhat ironically though, this modernization resulted in the gradually discontinuance of hand crafted products, thus compromising a previously attained level of dexterity and skilled design. On top of this, the situation has only been made more difficult due to a recent climate of long-term depression-ridden economies, personnel restructuring, bankruptcy, aging craftsmen and decreasing successor numbers.
We will have the 400th anniversary of Arita ceramics in ten years time. In order to ensure the success of Arita ceramics over the next 100 years, we have to get back any lost skills and continue to strive for improvement. In order to pass on a Japanese culture we can be proud of to the next generation, we will focus all of our energy into undertaking this reproduction project.
