Gagyu Kiln: Utsutsugawa Ware, the Lost Pottery of Nagasaki, Revived
Two cranes fly side by side across a brown ground, and the white brush-strokes behind them make it look as if they are cutting through the wind. The style is called Utsutsugawa ware, and for more than two hundred years it existed only as a handful of pieces and a legend.
This is the story of how a family kiln in Nagasaki brought it back: what Utsutsugawa ware is, how the Gagyu Kiln revived its secret, what makes the pieces easy to live with, and what their motifs mean when you give one as a gift.
Utsutsugawa ware: the "phantom" pottery of Nagasaki
Utsutsugawa ware was born in 1691 at Utsutsugawa, in the Isahaya domain — today part of the city of Nagasaki. Its makers brushed white slip (liquid clay) over a brown clay body, and their refined, elegant work was ranked alongside that of Ninsei, the celebrated potter of Kyoto.
Then, after only about half a century, it vanished, leaving many questions unanswered. The few pieces that survived became known as maboroshi — "phantom" ware. For more than two hundred years, people tried to recreate the technique. None succeeded.
The greatest secret of Utsutsugawa ware is that the decoration is applied while the clay is still raw and wet. The delicate brush-strokes and the raised, three-dimensional decoration depend on it, and the work is said to take five times as long as ordinary porcelain.
The Gagyu Kiln: the family that brought it back
The Gagyu Kiln was founded about 400 years ago at Kihara Sarayama, in what is now Kihara-cho in the city of Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture. At that time, the wares we now tell apart as Arita, Hasami and Mikawachi were all simply "Hizen ware" — the porcelain and pottery of the old province of Hizen in northwest Kyushu. The Gagyu Kiln inherited techniques for both pottery and porcelain that had come over from the continent.
It was the 12th-generation Gagyu Yokoishi who finally unlocked the secret of Utsutsugawa ware and brought it back to life. The 13th generation — the Gagyu Yokoishi brothers — perfected the revival — and for it, the kiln was designated an Intangible Cultural Property of Nagasaki Prefecture.
- About 400 years ago — the Gagyu Kiln opens at Kihara Sarayama
- 1691 — Utsutsugawa ware is born in the Isahaya domain
- Mid-18th century — after about fifty years, Utsutsugawa ware disappears
- 12th generation — Gagyu Yokoishi unlocks the lost technique
- 13th generation — the Yokoishi brothers perfect it; Intangible Cultural Property of Nagasaki Prefecture
- 14th and 15th generations — carry the technique into pieces made for everyday life today
Hakeme: painting with white slip
What gives every Gagyu piece its look is hakeme — brushwork. White slip is laid onto the brown clay one stroke at a time, with a range of different brushes, and from those strokes come cranes, egrets and plum blossoms. Hakeme is one of the techniques the kiln carried over from Utsutsugawa ware.
You can watch the 14th-generation Gagyu Yokoishi at work in this demonstration of Kihara hakeme. He switches between many brushes, putting care into every single stroke. Because the white slip is laid over the brown ground by hand, no two pieces ever come out the same.
Gagyu Kiln teacups, in hakeme brushwork and in green glaze.
Why Gagyu pieces are easy to live with
Pottery usually feels warm and earthy in the hand; porcelain is smooth, hard and bright. Gagyu pieces take something from each.
- The best of pottery and porcelain — the calm, earthy feel of clay, with a glossy surface like porcelain
- Microwave and dishwasher safe — the pieces passed a heat-resistance test at Nagasaki Prefecture’s ceramics technology center, so earthy-looking ware can still be used every day
- Brushed by hand — every hakeme pattern is different, so each piece is one of a kind
- Auspicious motifs — egrets, cranes, moon rabbits and red and white plum blossoms, all well suited to gifts
The motifs, and what they mean as gifts
Egret. The egret is the bird Gagyu paints most often. In Japanese, the character for egret (鷺, sagi) contains the character for "road" (路), so the egret is read as a bird that opens the way ahead. Egret pieces are a popular gift for a fresh start — a new home, a new job, or the opening of a business.
Moon rabbit. A rabbit gazing at the moon stands for long life and prosperity, which makes it a classic choice for celebrating a milestone birthday.
Red and white plum. Plum blossoms open in the cold of late winter, ahead of every other flower, and in Japan red and white together are the colors of celebration. A red-and-white plum pair is a natural wedding gift.
Choosing a piece
If you are new to Gagyu, a single yunomi or coffee cup is the easiest way to feel the brushwork in your hand. For a couple, the paired yunomi and rice bowls are made for exactly that, and each pair carries its motif's wish. For someone who enjoys a drink, the sake sets and whisky glasses show off the hakeme on a larger surface.
