| HIRADO |
Hirado ware was made in Mikawachi, near Arita. Mikawachi area was controlled by Hirado han during Edo period. In 1598, many potters were brought back to Japan after Hideyoshi's Japan Korean War. Hirado kiln was started by Koseki and other Korean potters captured by the Lord Matsuura Shigenobu. In the beginning, the kilns were located in the village of Nakano and then in the later part of the 17th Century, the Mikawachi kiln was established. The kiln was operated under the strict protection of the lords until the end of the Edo period. Under its feudal system, Japan was divided by han which was the name of the province controlled by the Daimyo lord. The kiln operated by the han was called hanyo. Because the porcelain made by hanyo was only for his exclusive use and also for the gifts to the emperors and the shoguns, it had to be created by highest standards to the very best quality.
