Bunshogama plate in peacock design

BUNSHO-GAMA kiln with studio and kiln on the hill overlooking Imari harbour in Saga Prefecture where third-generation Baba Kojiro makes contemporary Imari ceramics.

Japan's first porcelain produced in Arita, Saga Prefecture, 400 years ago, known as early Imari, was made from the Senzan ore from Arita Senzan. The production of vessels made from Izumiyama ceramic stone is difficult to shape due to the low consistency and high iron content of the dough, and the resulting colour is unique.
Currently, the main raw material for Arita ware is Amakusa ceramic stone from Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, which is easy to shape and the finished colour is white without being muddy. The use of Izumiyama ceramic stone, which is local to Arita and Imari but is considered a historical heritage by Arita and Imari craftsmen, is considered to be the most typical "Bunshogama" ware and has been explored through repeated trial and error in all processes, from how the stone is crushed, the grain size and how the clay is kneaded to the forming and firing process.