Agano Ware Watari Gama pottery

Agano Ware

Agano ware(上野焼) is a form of pottery production which originated in Fukuchi, Tagawa District, Fukuoka. It dates back to the end of the 16th century when an artisan Jonhae Kim was taken to Japan from the Kingdom of Joseon in Korea after the Imjin War. Jonhae went back to Korea to learn Goryeo ware and then came back to Japan. In 1602, he arrived in Fukuchi, Fukuoka by an invitation from the Daimyo (feudal load) of Kokura Domain and started pottery making. Since the Daimyo of Kokura was one of the best seven successors of Sen no Rikyu (千利休, the master of the Way of Tea ), Jonhae made lots of tea uensils. Since then, Agano ware has been considered as one of the most important pottery places for the Way of Tea.

Watari Jin

Watari Jin is the 12th generation of Agano Ware Watari Gama Pottery. There are more than 20 pottery studios who are producing pottery under the name of Agano ware, and Watari family is the only descendants of Jonhae Kim. After Jonhae was settled in Fukuchi, he was naturalised in Japan and called himself Agano Kizo.