Shida-yaki

Shida district in Shiota had its heyday of the Imari porcelain industry in the late Edo period (18100-1860). It developed distinctive styles of playful motif drawn with thick and thin brushes. Almost all their porcelains made in the Edo period are hand-painted in blue. Mainly they produced household wares of various sizes of plates and bowls. The decoration of good lucks and seasonal cerebrations is most popular.

Below is my article from the book, “Road to Imari”. In my book, there is also an article about Shida-yaki museum.

Shida porcelain, Shida-yaki was made in Shida district in Shiota. It specialized in low-cost porcelain ware of everyday use. Shiota is located about 17km southeast from Arita uchiyama. The village is located on Nagasai-kaido, the main traveling road during the Edo period from Kokura to Nagasaki in Kyushu. It also reaches conveniently to the bay, Ariakekai through the Shiota river. That made it easy to transfer the goods from the factory location on the boat.

There were two separate kiln groups located in Shiota in the Edo period. Higashi-yama (the east kilns) belonged to the Nabeshima clan and Nishi-yama (the west kiln) to the Hasunoike clan (Nabeshima branch). Both areas produced porcelain goods exclusively decorated in blue and white.

A medium plate, depicting a landscape of mountains, seas, buildings, trees. 19.5cm diameter, 3.2cm high. (1810 -1850). *No.2 picture from the book, “Imari of Hizen”.

A small plate, depicting a landscape of a mountain, a building, seaside. 10cm diameter, 2cm high. (1780-1830). *#3 picture from the book, “Imari of Hizen”.

A medium plate, depicting a shishi(fu-dog), peony flowers, rocks. 19.5cm diameter, 3.5cm high. (1820 -1850). *#101 picture from the book “Imari of Hizen”.

A medium plate, depicting a crane, clouds, kadomatsu new year gate decoration with pine branches. (1820-1850). 20.3cm diameter, 3cm.