Hello! My name is Takezawa, and I am the owner of "UTSUWABI, a pottery market for home enjoyment," a store that sells vessels made by artists.
This time, I would like to introduce Hasami ware, or Hasami pottery, which is becoming more and more popular every year.
Among pottery production areas, Hasami ware is durable, easy to handle, relatively inexpensive, and has few individual differences.
In addition, modern and fashionable designs and up-and-coming brands have been increasing in recent years.
First, let me introduce the interesting variations of Hasami ware, and then I would like to introduce some popular potteries and brands.
If you would like to see a complete list of Hasami-ware products, please click here for a link to the list page below.
Hasami ware List Page
Now, let's get started.
Hasami ware's standard, Sometsuke (blue-and-white) ware
Speaking of Hasami ware, which has been popular for a long time, Sometsuke (blue-and-white) pottery has a nostalgic feel.
Somezuke has a nostalgic, yet stylish blue color.
The color has always been familiar to people, so it is a versatile dish that suits not only Japanese cuisine, but also Western cuisine, Chinese cuisine, desserts, and more.
Deep dish, Hana-mokko deep dish, porcelain, Fuchi Asobi Hasami ware
This deep bowl has an elegant appearance with an impressive traditional pattern on a clean flower shape. With a mature and dignified look, it is a bowl that will bring a refined light to your dining table.
Its solid depth makes it perfect for simmered dishes such as meat and potatoes or chikuzen-ni.
Hanadori Plate, Blue Stripe, Porcelain, Fuchi Asobi Hasami ware
Fuchi Asobi is characterized by the elegant rust color of the fuchi of the cup. It will make your usual food look more elegant. It can be used for any occasion from daily use to special occasions.
Small Flower Dish, Blue Stripe, Porcelain, Fuchi Asobi, Hasami ware
The clean design of these dishes, while having a Japanese taste, gives them a modern impression. The large area of white makes it an ideal vessel for a wide range of uses.
Asa Bowl, Fuchi Asobi, Hasami ware, Porcelain
This flower-shaped shallow bowl has impressive red lines in different colors. The flamboyance of this bowl is enhanced by the taste of the flowers.
Small bowl, blue porcelain, Fuchi Asobi Hasami ware
Sharply painted with a twisted design. The rust-colored fuchi elegantly tightens the entire bowl. It gives an impression that simple greens such as soaked or vinegared vegetables would be best suited to this dish. Its depth makes it suitable for dishes with a lot of liquid.
Popular Hasami ware Pottery & Brands
Saikai Toki
In 1946, the previous chairman of the company began peddling ceramics with a single wheeled cart, and 11 years later, he established Saikai Toki Co.
The company name was derived from the Saikai Bridge, which was built in the neighborhood at that time.
The company name was derived from the Saikai Bridge, which was built in the neighborhood at that time, to express the company's desire to enrich people's lives by serving as a bridge between people and products.
In recent years, the company has expanded its overseas bases to deliver Hasami-ware and other ceramics to various parts of the world.
karakusa
The karakusa series is a modern interpretation of "kurawanka," which can be said to be the origin of Hasami.
The bold yet delicate Kuresu underglaze blue is a modern interpretation of Hasami's traditional beauty.
The arabesque patterns on the dishes are dyed in a relaxed manner, which is typical of Hasami-ware.
Rinkuro Kiln
Rinkuro Kiln is a kiln that has continued to produce colorful paintings.
Representative works include "Sometsuke" with a deep flavor that never gets old, gorgeous "Ko-Imari style", and "Some Nishiki" with a perfect balance of Sometsuke and Akae (red glaze). Some-nishiki" is a perfect balance of some-nishiki and akae (red glaze).
The traditional classic patterns are arranged in a slightly modern style,
Shoho Kiln
Shoho Kiln is a kiln that insists on hand-painting.
It is amazing to think that these beautiful patterns are hand-painted.
Using nature as a motif, Shoho Kiln produces a wide range of handmade vessels, from nostalgic to modern, each with the warmth of handcraftsmanship.
Blue Series
The easy-to-use standard shape is boldly decorated with floral motifs that make the most of the characteristics of the brush.
The deep blue base color design adds color to your dining table.。
Rest
Not only cool Japanese tableware.
There are also these cute Tori chopstick rests.
It is good for home use or as a small gift for that person who loves cute things.
AIYU
While introducing a selection of Hasami ware ceramics, AIYU continues to develop original products and designs from the user's perspective.
They offer a variety of products, from cute items such as the bird series and the "Wreath on the Table" series, which were created in collaboration with Ryota Ishihara, a ceramics designer, to functional tableware such as the "E Series.
ORIME
The "ORIME" series is made with textile motifs.
The patterns are made using stamps, and the design, which looks like fabric pasted together, creates an interesting handcrafted look.
In order to express the texture of the material and handwork of the cloth, the design dares to show overlapping, unevenness, and curvature of the edges.
Unusually for Hasami-ware, which is mostly made of porcelain, this bowl is made of ceramic, giving it a soft "clay" atmosphere.
The brown and white pieces come in two colors: the brown has an inban pattern, while the white has an uneven pattern like an itching pattern.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Hakusan Pottery
Hakusan Pottery is located in Hasami-cho, Nagasaki Prefecture, and has been making timeless and standard tableware that is easy to use and fits in well with daily life.
Many of you may have seen this soy sauce jug before.
The design of this soy sauce jug is neither elegant nor ordinary. The design is not gaudy, but not ordinary either.
Hazami ware produced by Hakusan Toki is a brand of tableware that has won numerous awards, including the Good Design Award and the Long Life Design Award.
Bloom
The hand-painted pattern, which looks like a wreath, is soft and lively.
The bright lapis lazuli color on the smooth white porcelain is sure to add a floral touch to your dining table.
Although thin, it is made of durable and easy-to-handle porcelain, so it is useful not only for entertaining, but also for everyday use.
Flat Tea Bowl
The flat bowl is a representative item of Hakusan Pottery.
It is a shape that allows you to enjoy serving not only as a rice bowl, but also as a bowl for simmered dishes, salads, and other dishes.
The shallow design of this bowl will elegantly complement your dishes.
Porcelain, which can be used in microwave ovens and dishwashers, is a very easy-to-handle type of vessel for modern life.
Stacked Stripes
The fresh striped pattern of Kuresu on white porcelain is in a pen-drawing style that looks like two-tone,
The design gives the porcelain a dignified impression, yet it is also warm and inviting.
This long-selling item has been on the market since 1984, and its most appealing feature is its excellent design, as symbolized by its selection for the Good Design Award (G-Mark) in 2016.
Basic
Hakusan Touki's Basic series is a long-selling item with a simple design of vessels unique to the Japanese dining table.
The universal form is loved by many people.
The design never gets old, so you can enjoy these items for a long time, blending easily into your daily life.
Rosemary
The motif of this vessel is the fragrant rosemary, an herb with mystical powers.
It is characterized by the beautiful shading of rosemary, which changes depending on the degree of glaze buildup, as well as its smooth texture.
It is also easy to clean and dishwasher and microwave safe.
The Rosemary series is also available in different colors, with each color giving a different impression.
They have been sold not only for home use, but also for professional use in restaurants and cafes.
NISHIYAMA
NISHIYAMA was born in 1865 (the first year of Keio) and has been making vessels for 150 years.
Popular products include Daisy, featuring boldly painted flowers, and Forage, with its textile-like leaf pattern that gives the impression of Scandinavian goods.
NISHIYAMA also collaborates with various artists, including Swedish ceramicist Lisa Larson, biotope, Mutsumi Kagoshima, and BIRD'S WORDS.
Daisy
The Daisy series is designed with a daisy flower motif.
The painted part is raised and has a hand-worked feel to it.
The navy color has a somewhat Japanese atmosphere, while the gray color is reminiscent of Scandinavian tableware.
It is fun to see how the impression changes completely depending on the color.
Please click the link below to see a list of Daisy products.
Kyosen
The pottery studio and gallery Kyosen is located in a lush green mountainous area.
In addition to everyday tableware, they make a wide variety of pottery, including red vessels with a European pigment, chopstick rests and figurines with unique motifs, buttons, and accessories.
The store and gallery attached to the studio offer a wide range of ceramics produced by Kyo Sen's staff members.
sen
sen" was launched in 2010 as a new product line of Kyo Sen.
With the theme of "something that adds color to various scenes of daily life," sen is produced daily with the aim of creating items that make the charm of pottery more familiar to people.
The sen series are fired at a high temperature of 1,270 degrees Celsius, which makes the clay harden and harden, and is characterized by the strength of the ceramic clay.
essence
essence is a design project that develops tableware and interior goods based on the concept of "creating things that enrich people's lives.
The soft ivory color is understated yet firmly complements dishes.
HASAMI PORCELAIN
HASAMI PORCELAIN is a brand created under the direction of LA-based designer Takuhiro Shinomoto (tortoise).
Because each item is designed with a common diameter, all vessels can be stacked by size, and smaller vessels can be nested in larger ones.
Aizen Kiln
Aizen Kiln is a small studio located in the mountains of nature.
The charm of Aizome Kiln lies in its rugged, yet luxurious appearance, which gives a sense of serenity.
The functionality of this product, which can be easily used on a daily basis, adds a touch of color to everyday life.
Seiran
Seiran" series expresses the taste of folk art in Hasami ware.
The patterns are hand-painted one by one by craftsmen using the traditional Hasami ware "Sometsuke" technique.
The warm brushstrokes are different from each other, and the handwork is full of charm.
The simple yet bold design will brighten up your dining table.。
MARUHIRO
Maruhiro, which began as a street vendor in 1957, is a ceramics manufacturer without a factory that plans Hasami-ware tableware and interior goods.
One of Maruhiro's representative brands is HASAMI.
The theme of the tableware is based on the popular tableware used in American restaurants in the 1960s, and the tableware is colorful and pop.
Many of you may have seen them at grocery stores.
On the other hand, there is also a brand with an elegant Japanese taste called BARBAR.
This is a modern Japanese brand that uses traditional white porcelain with Kuresu color painted on it, and is also very popular.
BARBAR (Baba Shoten)
Baba Shoten's vessels have a nostalgic yet somehow modern impression.
The patterns drawn on white porcelain by Kuresu color painting are traditional patterns arranged in a modern style.
The patterns are a modern interpretation of traditional patterns, so while they retain a Japanese atmosphere, they are also a good match for modern dining tables.
Recommended Hasami ware
Simple and easy-to-use Hasami-ware
In recent years, more and more modern designs have appeared, including those with strong product design elements, those that go well with Scandinavian tableware, and those with an antique feel.
calme
While the beauty of the dyeing process is one of the characteristics of Hasami ware, the smooth texture is also one of the characteristics of Hasami ware.
Simple Hasami ware goes well with Western food, so it is good to have a series of them for a special dinner or a relaxing morning.
Mokko
This series is based on the motif of a traditional dish that has been loved since the Edo period (1603-1868), the jukari plate.
The jukari is said to bring prosperity and good luck to offspring.
The series is characterized by a modern take on the traditional form, with a design and use of colors that blend in with everyday dining, regardless of whether it is Japanese or Western.
Kikuwari
The Kikuwari series has a neat and lovely chrysanthemum flower motif.
The noble and auspicious flower "chrysanthemum" is decorated on the surface of the bowl.
The glossy surface of the bowl and the chunky petals are adorable.
Hasami-ware with a sense of cuteness
This pretty mimosa-patterned vessel heralds the arrival of spring.
The delicate leaf pattern looks as if it is swaying in the wind, and the bright yellow mimosa flowers catch the eye.
The carefully crafted pattern on each piece will blend in with your daily dining table, regardless of whether it is Japanese or Western.
Mimosa
This pretty mimosa-patterned vessel heralds the arrival of spring.
The delicate leaf pattern looks as if it is swaying in the wind, and the bright yellow mimosa flowers catch the eye.
The carefully crafted pattern on each piece will blend in with your daily dining table, regardless of whether it is Japanese or Western.
fruit
The fruit series features cherries, lemons, and strawberries.
Many people are enamored with the cute patterns, which are rare in Hasami ware pottery.
The plate is a large size, so it is perfect for one plate for breakfast.
The vitamin-colored coordination of the different patterns on the plate is sure to cheer you up.
Dahlia
The dahlia series is Japanese tableware with a touch of Scandinavian style.
The combination of yellow and blue is cheerful, and depending on how you match them, they are also perfect for a more relaxed dining table.
If you have a collection of different colors and shapes, they will add a gorgeous color to your dining table.
It would be fun to match them with simple plain dishes as an accent.
Top 5 best-selling Hasami-ware
UTSUWABI handles as many as 400 items of Hasami ware alone.
Here are the top 5 best-selling items.
No.1 Small bowl, blue, porcelain, Fuchi Asobi, Hasami ware
No.2 Kikyo small bowl, yellow, porcelain, Fuchi asobi, Hasami ware
No.3 Deep dish, deep dish, flower gourd, porcelain, Fuchi asobi, Hasami ware
No.4 Naburi medium bowl karakusa, Hasami ware ware
No.5 19cm oval dish, chrysanthemum pattern in gold, porcelain, Rinkuro Pottery, Hasami ware
Characteristics of Hasami ware
Hasami ware is a type of pottery produced in Hasami-cho, Nagasaki Prefecture, and boasts a tradition of more than 400 years.
Most of the Hasami ware produced is porcelain ware, which is durable, easy to handle, relatively inexpensive, and has few individual differences, making it possible to obtain stable products and pieces.
The brands introduced here are all representative of Hasami ware.
Among them, the G-shaped soy sauce jug created by Masahiro Mori, a product designer at Hakusan Pottery, is so famous that even those who have never heard of Hasami ware or Hakusan Pottery have seen it before.
In addition to those introduced here, other modern and stylish Hasami ware brands have been introduced one after another, and there have been many collaborations with famous artists.
History of Hasami ware
The birth of Hasami ware pottery was triggered by the famous warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
From 1592 to 1598, he went to Korea to expand his territory.
It is said that the birth of Hasami pottery began when Omura Kizan, the lord of the Hasami area, brought back potters and built climbing kilns for mass firing of pottery at three locations in Hasami-cho Muraki: Hatanohara, Kozaraya, and Yamaniada.
Although Hasami ware has a strong image of porcelain, at that time, glazed ceramics were made.
Later, the raw materials that would become porcelain were discovered, and gradually more porcelain with dyes and celadon came to be produced.
In the mid-17th century, Hasami-ware was exported mainly to Southeast Asia, and the number of Hasami-ware kilns and craftsmen increased rapidly.
However, in the latter half of the 17th century, as China strengthened its trade in porcelain, the amount of Hasami-ware exported declined.
Instead, production of reasonably priced, easy-to-use daily tableware for the domestic market took center stage, leading to the current trend of Hasami ware.
Difference between Pottery and Porcelain
Utsuwa (pottery) is largely divided into "ceramic" and "porcelain.
Earthenware, or earthenware, is made mainly from clay called potter's clay, in other words, soil. On the other hand, porcelain, also known as stoneware, is mainly made from a rock called potter's stone.
Porcelain is characterized by its smooth texture, and the colors and paintings that are created by the smoothness of the porcelain.
Since many Hasami ware items are classified as porcelain, they do not require sealing, are durable, and are easy to handle and arrange. One of the charms of Hasami ware is that it is easy to handle and arrange.
| Pottery | Porcelain | |
| Raw materials | Mainly clay | Mainly stone powder made from crushed pottery stones |
| Medome | Many need medome | Many do not need medome |
| Strength | Not strong | Relatively strong |
| Characteristics | Texture and soft colors of the material used for pottery | beautiful painting and clear colors |
| Major pottery | Mino ware, Mashiko ware, Shigaraki ware, Kasama ware | Arita ware, Kutani ware, Tobe ware, Hasami-ware |
Hasami Tourist Information
If you have been researching Hasami ware, don't you want to actually visit Hasami Town?
Galleries and stores are relatively clustered together, making it an easy place to visit.
Please take a look at the article by the UTSUWABI editorial office on our Hasami-cho Utsuwa Tour, as well as our article on recommended spots in the area.
Utsuwa Tour vol.3] Visit Hasami-cho, the town of pottery
15 recommended spots in [Hasami]. Shops you'll want to stop by on your pottery tour
Major Sightseeing Spots
Nishinohara
The Nishinohara area is a commercial complex of renovated pottery mills dating back to the Edo period.
Lined with general stores, cafes, and climbing facilities, it is the most talked-about fashionable spot in the area today.
Visitors can enjoy shopping for sundries and tableware suited to modern life, while enjoying the atmosphere of the pottery factory's former use.
Address: 2187-4, Iseki-go, Hasami-cho, Higashisonogi-gun, Nagasaki
Business hours and days: Vary according to each store, so please check the website.
HP: https://24nohara.jp/
Yakimono Park
Adjacent to the Pottery Pavilion, this park is the site of the Hasami Pottery Festival, held every year during Golden Week and attracting crowds of people from inside and outside the prefecture.
Within the facility is the World Kiln Plaza, a rare open-air museum that reproduces 12 kilns, representing the world from ancient to modern times.
Address: 2255-2, Ishigo, Hasami-cho, Higashisonogi-gun, Nagasaki
Hours: 8:30-17:00 (free to visit)
Holiday: Open all year round
HP: https://www.town.hasami.lg.jp/kankou/meisho/1284.html
Oniki Rice Terraces
This place has been selected as one of the 100 best terraced rice paddies in Japan.
The scenery is different from season to season, and you may discover something new every time you visit.
Every September, the Oniki-Tanada Festival, a scarecrow event featuring the year's most talked-about person, is also held here.よ。
Address: 2255-2, Ishigo, Hasami-cho, Higashisonogi-gun, Nagasaki
Hours: 8:30-17:00 (free to visit)
Holiday: Open all year round
HP: https://www.town.hasami.lg.jp/kankou/meisho/1284.html
Stores and galleries to stop by
OYANE
The store is a gallery and store operated by Saikai Toki, and is decorated with saggaras (rinpachi) used for firing ceramics.
At the "Pottery Kiln Storehouse" on the first floor, you can buy Hasami ware and other tableware, and at the "OYANE" space, which can also be used as a gallery space, events and private exhibitions are sometimes held.
COYANE is a Vietnamese cuisine restaurant.
Lunch here is also recommended.
Address: 2204-4 Orishikise-go, Hasami-cho, Higashisonogi-gun, Nagasaki
Business hours: 9:00-18:00
Holiday: Open all year round (except year-end and New Year holidays)
HP: https://oyane.jp/
aiyu
The aiyu gallery is a spacious space lined with cute colored vessels.
The shop is designed to convey the charm of each piece of pottery in an easy-to-understand manner so that customers can shop as only an actual store can, and it also offers suggestions on how to coordinate their dining table.
Address: 380 Sarayama-go, Hasami-cho, Higashisonogi-gun, Nagasaki
Business hours: 10:00-17:00 (Saturdays from 12:00)
Holiday: Sunday
*Business hours and holidays may differ, so please check the website.
HP: https://aiyu-hasami.com/
Kyosen
In addition to everyday tableware, Kyo Sen's gallery features a diverse lineup of pottery, including redware made with European-born pigments, chopstick rests and figurines with unique motifs, buttons, and accessories.
There are also ceramics created freely by each of the staff members, so you can enjoy a wide variety of items.
Address: 550, Otaru-go, Hasami-cho, Higashisonogi-gun, Nagasaki
Hours: 11:00-17:00
Holiday: 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month
HP: http://www.kyosen-nagasaki.jp/
Places where you can try your hand at pottery making
Kurawan-kan
Kurawan-kan is located on the first floor of the Ceramic Art Gallery in the Yakimono Park, and is a tourist product center where you can find pottery made by trading companies and potteries.
Here, visitors can try their hand at pottery making, such as "painting," "rokuro," and "tatara mold making.
There are also some experiences that are perfect for children, such as painting, and will be fun for the whole family.
Address: 2255-2, Ishigo, Hasami-cho, Higashisonogi-gun, Nagasaki
Hours: 9:00-17:00 (reservation required)
Holidays: Year-end and New Year holidays
Tel: 0956--26-7162
HP: http://kurawankashop.sakura.ne.jp/
Nakaoyama Denshukan
Visitors can enjoy authentic pottery making, such as hand-painting and painting.
It will be very pleasant to experience pottery making in a space filled with nature.
Address: 332 Nakao-go, Hasami-cho, Higashisonogi-gun, Nagasaki
Hours: 10:00-17:00 (reservation required)
Holidays: Tuesdays, Year-end and New Year holidays (irregular holidays apply)
Phone: 0956-85-6127
HP: https://densyuukan.jimdofree.com/
Hasami Pottery Festival
The Hasami Pottery Festival is a large pottery market held every year during Golden Week.
At this event, which attracts 300,000 visitors, visitors can purchase at low prices B products of representative Hasami pottery brands such as Hakusan Pottery and Baba Shoten, which are no longer available at wholesale stores.
Hasami Pottery Festival
Date and time: April 29-May 5 (usual date)
Hours: 9:00-17:00
Venues: Main venue: Yakimono Koen Hiroba / Second venue: Hasami-Arita Interchange Entrance Plaza
For more information about the Hasami Pottery Festival, please refer to the following article.
[Hasami Pottery Festival] Complete guide! Basic information and introduction of recommended authors
We expect heavy crowds on the day of the festival, so please be sure to be there early in the morning to line up and be in good shape.
Stylish table setting with Hasami-ware
Put a little bit of rice balls and side dishes on the differently designed vessels.
It gives an elegant impression.
Scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes, and sausage on bread for a stylish one-plate breakfast.
The rosemary pattern on the rim adds a subtle touch.
Slow brunch time.
The quiche and butter sandwiches go perfectly with the calm texture of the tableware.
You can purchase items of the brands introduced in this article, but not all of them, from the list below.
If you are interested in the brands introduced in this article
You can purchase items of the brands introduced in this article, but not all of them, from the list below.
Hasami ware, which has many simple and gorgeous designs, also has an atmosphere somewhat like Scandinavian tableware.
For more information about Hasami ware, please refer to this article.
・19 recommended Hasami ware tableware for wedding gifts, Mother's Day, job hunting gifts, etc.
・10 recommended Hasami ware mugs that you will want to use every day
Please try to find your favorites among the many Hasami ware.
Thank you very much for taking a look until the end. We hope everyone will be able to find a good piece of pottery!