CATEGORY
Porcelain sickness
In 1659, The Dutch East India Company took the first European delivery of Arita-yaki. Arita-yaki was exported from Imari-port, so in Europe Arita-yaki is called IMARI. Arita-yaki was treated like gold in Europe, so Arita ware exports to Europe are increasing rapidly. 1670 to 1700s, All over Europe royalty and aristocrats spent large sums of money on amassing huge collections of Arita-yaki. Their uncontrollable desires to obtain Arita-yaki were given the name “porcelain sickness.” The King of Poland (Augustus II the Strong) attempted to fill every room in the Japanese Palace of the Zwinger Palace with Arita-yaki. In 1710, The King of Poland invested in Meissen, the first European porcelain.
The purveyors to the Imperial Palace
In 1706, the lord of Sendai domain Tsunamune Date contributed Arita-yaki to the Emperor Reigen. The Emperor was extremely pleased with the beauty of Arita-yaki and designated the kiln of Arita-yaki as the purveyors to the Imperial Palace. Until today, many Arita-yaki have been contributed to the Imperial family for over 300 years.