Ryumonji-yaki

Folk pottery from Kagoshima using distinctive black and brown glazes.

Ryumonji-yaki is a traditional pottery from Kagoshima Prefecture, established in 1598 by Korean potters brought to Japan during the Imjin War. Known for its distinctive sansai (three-color) and namako (sea cucumber) glazes in rich cobalt blue and brown, it produces robust everyday vessels with a distinctively southern Japanese character. The craft has been continuously maintained by a small number of family kilns for over four centuries.