Hasami ware

Hasami Ware Bowl, Japan, Edo Period, Porcelain with Cobalt Blue Underglaze. Produced in Hasami, Nagasaki Prefecture, this bowl exemplifies the practical elegance and refined craftsmanship of Japanese everyday porcelain.

Als Hasami-Keramik (波佐見焼, *Hasami-yaki*) wird eine Art japanischer Keramik bezeichnet, die in und um die Stadt Hasami in der japanischen Präfektur Nagasaki hergestellt wird. Hasami-Keramik ist für ihr langlebiges und zugleich elegantes Porzellan bekannt und zählt seit dem frühen 17. Jahrhundert zu den festen Bestandteilen des japanischen Alltagsgeschirrs. Besondere Bedeutung kommt ihr durch ihre blau-weiße Dekoration, die Techniken der Massenproduktion sowie ihre Rolle dabei zu, Porzellan einer breiteren Bevölkerungsschicht zugänglich zu machen.

Geschichte

Die Herstellung von Hasami-Keramik begann um 1599, während der Azuchi-Momoyama-Zeit, nachdem koreanische Töpfer, die nach Japan gebracht worden waren, dort keramische Techniken eingeführt hatten. Die benachbarte Region Arita war bereits für ihr Porzellan bekannt; Hasami entwickelte sich parallel dazu und fertigte häufig Waren, die unter dem Namen Arita exportiert wurden.

In the Edo period, Hasami ware became widely distributed throughout Japan thanks to the region’s advantageous location and trade routes. Its affordability and practicality contributed to its popularity among common households, while some pieces were also made for export to Europe via the Dutch East India Company.

Characteristics

Hasami ware is predominantly porcelain, though some early pieces were made of stoneware. Its defining features include:

• White porcelain decorated with cobalt blue underglaze.
• Simple, practical forms designed for daily use.
• Later adoption of polychrome and transfer-printing techniques, making production more efficient.

The ware is often considered less ornate than Imari or Kutani porcelains, emphasizing instead utility and mass availability. This practicality led to its reputation as "the porcelain of the people."

Modern production

Today, Hasami continues to produce a wide variety of porcelain goods, ranging from traditional bowls and plates to contemporary tableware and design pieces. Local artisans collaborate with modern designers to keep the craft relevant while preserving traditional methods. Hasami ware is also promoted through cultural festivals and local tourism initiatives in Nagasaki Prefecture.

See also

• Japanese pottery and porcelain
• Arita ware
• Karatsu ware
• Imari ware

References

• Cort, Louise Allison. Shigaraki, Potters’ Valley. Kodansha International, 1979.
• Impey, Oliver. Japanese Export Porcelain: Catalogue of the Collection of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Hotei Publishing, 2002.

External links

• Hasami ware official promotion site (in Japanese)
• Hasami ware overview (Nippon Kichi)