Arita ware

The story

Arita is where Japanese porcelain began. In the early 1600s porcelain stone was found in the hills here, and the town’s kilns learned to turn it into a hard, white, translucent ware that had never been made in Japan before.

Arita porcelain was shipped from the nearby port of Imari and from the mid-1600s it reached Europe, where its blue-and-white and painted wares were treasured. The kilns are still at work today.

What to look for

• A fine, bright white body
• Cobalt-blue painting under the glaze
• Gold and enamel colours painted on top