Okawachiyama Pottery Village 大川内山

The origins and history of Okawachiyama

Okawachiyama is a small pottery village located in Saga Prefecture, between Fukuoka and Nagasaki. Okawachiyama is six kilometers from its home town of Imari, another major historic pottery town. The craftsmen even welcome visitors to their workshop to get a closer look at how it is made.

• Read also: Tokoname, the city of red ceramics

The development of Japan's commercial pottery industry has its origins in the first attempt by Japanese troops to annex Korea under the famous general Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Imjin Wars (1592-1598).

Although several debates and theories oppose among historians, a consensus seems to emerge around the fact that the fathers of Japanese pottery were Koreans . We find there in particular the names of Yi Sam Pyong and that of Ri Sampe i, at the origin of the discovery of white clay called Kaolin, the basis of the manufacture of porcelain, in 1615 in the region of Arita.

Thereafter, this know-how will be honoured, developed and perfected in Japan and in particular around the village of Okawachiyama. The area would become a flagship of the pottery industry . The whole court of Edo (the old name of the city of Tokyo) will rush to buy and praise the quality of the porcelain of this village. The site was therefore closely monitored in order to avoid any leaks concerning the process of creating this Nabeshima porcelain, almost exclusively reserved for high dignitaries of the shogunal regime. The village even received the nickname of “ secret village of ceramic kilns ”.

• Read also: Choosing and buying ceramics in Japan

The unique know-how of Okawachiyama ceramics

The know-how was therefore transmitted directly to the future porcelain makers, who came to study with the Koreans and were strictly prohibited from spreading their knowledge beyond the village walls . Today, only about thirty porcelain makers still work in Okawachiyama . By opening their workshops to the public, they strive to promote their know-how and make their Nabeshima porcelain better known.

The city museum, free and with documentation in English , also allows you to learn a little more about this art, in particular by exhibiting a few old pieces. True witnesses of this era, very few remain today, the slightest piece with a defect, however small, was immediately thrown away so as not to risk sending a low-quality creation to the shoguns. The museum also exhibits contemporary pieces and offers some playful experiences in order to differentiate, among other things, ceramics and porcelain.

A scenic visit

As soon as you arrive, the bridge located in front of the bus stop sets the scene: two magnificent porcelain vases adorn the ramps of the building . A ceramic map of the village will guide and advise your visit. During your walk, you will be able to smell the clay vapors of the Kaolin kilns (about twenty are still in operation) and observe the engineering of the water mills while doing your shopping at the village shopkeepers who are full of treasures and surprises.

To top it off, this picturesque village, located in the mountains, offers landscapes and an atmosphere typical of the countryside of the island of Kyushu . Before leaving, do not hesitate to walk through the alleys of the village cemetery, there is also a stele erected in honor and in memory of the Korean craftsmen kidnapped and installed in Okawachiyama. A way to remember why the village still attracts visitors who come to learn more about Japanese porcelain.

• Read also: Top 10 outdoor activities in Kyushu