The Arita Ware Manufacturing Process | The Craftsmanship Behind Japanese Porcelain
Arita ware is one of Japan’s most representative types of porcelain, produced mainly in and around Arita Town in Saga Prefecture. It is known for its beautiful white body, delicate painting, clear glossy glaze, and hard texture created through high-temperature firing. Arita is also famous as the birthplace of Japanese porcelain. It is said that full-scale porcelain production began in Arita in 1616 by the Korean potter Kanagae Sanbee, also known as Yi Sam-pyeong.
1. Quarrying Porcelain Stone | The Origin of Arita Ware
Arita ware begins with a white stone called porcelain stone. Porcelain stone is a special raw material used to make porcelain. When fired at a high temperature, it becomes a hard, white porcelain body.
In Arita, the discovery of high-quality porcelain stone at Izumiyama led to the development of full-scale porcelain production. During the Edo period, Izumiyama porcelain stone was an important raw material for Arita ware.
Today, Amakusa porcelain stone is also widely used in Arita ware production. Porcelain stone is not just ordinary stone. Its whiteness, plasticity, firing strength, and low iron content are all important. If the material contains too much iron, black spots or stains may appear after firing. For this reason, careful selection of raw materials is essential.
2. Preparing the Porcelain Clay | Turning Stone into Clay
Quarried porcelain stone cannot be shaped directly into vessels. First, the stone is crushed into fine particles, mixed with water, and cleaned to remove impurities.
In this process, the stone is ground into powder and suspended in water so that the particle size can be adjusted. Coarse sand, impurities, and iron particles are removed to create smooth porcelain clay. Since iron can appear as black spots after firing, it is carefully removed, sometimes with the help of magnets.
The clay is then dewatered until it reaches the proper firmness and is kneaded into a workable condition. This is how the white porcelain clay used for forming Arita ware is created.
3. Kneading the Clay | Removing Air and Creating an Even Texture
After the porcelain clay is prepared, it is kneaded. Kneading removes air trapped inside the clay and makes the moisture and texture uniform.
If air remains inside the clay, it can expand during firing and cause cracks or even breakage. Uneven moisture can also cause warping or cracking during drying.
For this reason, craftsmen check the condition of the clay by hand and adjust it to the softness required for each vessel. In modern production, vacuum pug mills may also be used, but the final judgment still depends on the experience and sensitivity of skilled craftsmen.
4. Forming | Creating the Shape of the Vessel
Forming is the process of creating the shape of Arita ware. Different methods are used depending on the type and design of the vessel.
Rice bowls, plates, bowls, and teacups may be made by wheel throwing or mold forming. Teapots, complex shapes, or products that require consistent dimensions are often made using plaster molds and slip casting.
In Arita ware production, various forming methods are used, including mechanical wheel throwing, roller machines, pressure casting, and drain casting. The method is selected according to the shape and purpose of the piece.
At this stage, craftsmen must also calculate the shrinkage that will occur during firing. Porcelain shrinks when fired, so the piece must be made slightly larger than its final size.
5. Trimming and Finishing | Refining the Shape
After forming, the vessel still has small uneven areas and excess clay. Trimming and finishing are carried out to refine the shape.
One of the most important parts is the foot ring. The foot ring is the raised ring at the bottom of bowls and plates. Even a slight difference in its height, thickness, or angle can change the impression and stability of the vessel.
In this process, the rim is smoothed, the thickness is adjusted, and any distortion in the shape is corrected. Craftsmen check the thickness by touch and finish each piece so that it is both beautiful and easy to use.
6. Drying | Slowly Removing Moisture
After forming, the clay body cannot be fired immediately. It must first be dried thoroughly.
If a piece is fired before it is fully dry, the moisture inside may evaporate too quickly, causing cracks or breakage. On the other hand, drying too quickly can also cause warping or cracking.
For this reason, the pieces are dried slowly and naturally according to their size and thickness. Humidity and temperature affect the drying process, so craftsmen manage the drying environment while considering the season and weather.
7. Biscuit Firing | Preparing the Body for Painting
Once the clay body has dried, it is biscuit fired. Biscuit firing is the first firing, carried out at a lower temperature than the final firing.
It is generally fired at around 900°C. This process removes remaining moisture and gives the body enough strength and absorbency for the next steps. Biscuit firing makes the piece easier to handle, paint, and glaze.
After biscuit firing, the piece is still not finished. The surface is slightly rough and absorbent. This absorbency allows the underglaze pigment and glaze to adhere properly.
8. Underglaze Painting | Sometsuke with Gosu Pigment
After biscuit firing, designs are painted onto the body using a pigment called gosu, which turns blue after firing. This process is called underglaze painting.
One of the most representative techniques of Arita ware is sometsuke. Sometsuke is a technique in which blue designs are painted on white porcelain. After firing, the pigment appears as a beautiful deep blue.
Before firing, gosu may look dark or almost black. However, during the final firing, it develops into a vivid indigo-blue color. Flowers, birds, landscapes, arabesque patterns, geometric motifs, and other designs are expressed through brush pressure, line thickness, and gradation.
When painted by hand, even the same design will have slight differences from piece to piece. This individuality is one of the great charms of handmade Arita ware.
9. Glazing | Creating a Transparent Glassy Surface
After underglaze painting, the piece is coated with glaze. The glaze becomes a transparent glass-like layer during firing.
Immediately after glazing, the painted design may appear hidden under a white coating. However, during the final firing, the glaze melts and becomes clear and glossy, allowing the design beneath it to appear beautifully.
Glaze is important not only for appearance but also for practical use. It helps make the vessel water-resistant, easier to clean, and stronger.
10. Glost Firing | Turning the Body into Porcelain at About 1300°C
After glazing, the piece is placed into the kiln for glost firing. This is one of the most important stages in which Arita ware truly becomes porcelain.
Arita ware is fired at approximately 1300°C. At this high temperature, the clay body vitrifies and becomes hard, white, and glass-like.
Pieces finished only with underglaze painting, such as sometsuke, are completed at this stage. Through high-temperature firing, the gosu pigment develops its blue color, and the design appears beneath the transparent glaze.
The final result can be affected by temperature, flame movement, oxygen levels, and the position of the piece inside the kiln. Therefore, kiln loading and temperature control require great skill and experience.
11. Overglaze Decoration | Adding Red, Green, Yellow, and Gold
After glost firing, additional decoration may be applied. This process is called overglaze decoration. It means painting designs on top of the already fired glassy glaze surface.
Arita ware often uses red, green, yellow, and gold to create rich and colorful decoration. White porcelain decorated with overglaze enamel is often called akae, while underglaze blue combined with overglaze decoration is known as somenishiki.
Representative styles include Kakiemon style, Ko-Imari style, and Nabeshima style. Some pieces use elegant open space, while others feature luxurious gold decoration or highly detailed patterns. The range of expression is extremely wide.
12. Overglaze Firing | Fixing the Colors
After overglaze decoration, the piece is fired again. This process is called overglaze firing.
Overglaze firing is carried out at a lower temperature than glost firing. If fired at too high a temperature, overglaze colors and gold decoration may change or burn away. Therefore, the temperature must be carefully controlled so that the colors are fixed beautifully.
Through this process, red, green, yellow, gold, and other colors become fixed on the surface of the vessel. When gold decoration is used, an additional firing may sometimes be required.
13. Inspection | Checking Beauty and Quality
After firing, each piece of Arita ware is inspected one by one.
During inspection, craftsmen check for warping, uneven glaze, black spots, pinholes, misaligned painting, cracks, chips, and wobbling. Because the beauty of white porcelain is so important in Arita ware, even small black spots or glaze imperfections can affect the quality.
Handcrafted vessels naturally have slight individuality, but before they are sold, they must be carefully checked to ensure they are both beautiful and suitable for use.
14. Boxing and Shipping | Delivering Japanese Beauty to the World
After inspection, Arita ware is placed into boxes. High-end pieces and works by individual artists may be packed in wooden boxes or special presentation boxes.
When shipping overseas, careful packaging is especially important to prevent damage. Porcelain is hard and durable, but it can still break from impact. Each piece must be protected so that the vessels do not hit each other during transport.
In this way, Arita ware, which begins as porcelain stone, passes through the hands of many skilled craftsmen before reaching the dining table or becoming a special gift.
15. Why Arita Ware Is Valuable
Arita ware is valuable not simply because the materials are expensive.
From selecting porcelain stone, preparing clay, forming, trimming, drying, biscuit firing, underglaze painting, glazing, glost firing, overglaze decoration, overglaze firing, and inspection, there are many steps involved. Each process requires specialized skill, and mistakes at any stage can prevent the piece from becoming a finished product.
Hand-painted decoration, in particular, requires time and mastery. Fine lines, balanced shades, gold decoration, and the placement of patterns all reflect the experience of the craftsman.
Arita ware is not just tableware. It is a traditional craft filled with the history of Japanese porcelain and the skill of Japanese artisans.
Conclusion | Arita Ware Is Japanese Art Born from Stone
The manufacturing process of Arita ware begins with porcelain stone and continues through clay preparation, forming, biscuit firing, painting, glazing, glost firing, overglaze decoration, overglaze firing, and final inspection.
Although a finished piece may look simple and elegant, many processes and many hands are behind it. Fired at approximately 1300°C, Arita ware becomes white, hard, translucent, and beautifully refined.
The appeal of Arita ware lies in its balance of practicality and artistry. It can be used on the dining table every day, yet it also carries Japanese history, aesthetics, and craftsmanship.
FAQ | About the Arita Ware Manufacturing Process
Q1. Is Arita ware pottery or porcelain?
Arita ware is porcelain. It is made mainly from porcelain stone and fired at high temperatures, resulting in a white, hard body with low water absorption.
Q2. Are Arita ware and Imari ware different?
Historically, porcelain made in Arita was shipped from Imari Port, so it became known overseas as Imari ware. Today, porcelain made in and around Arita is generally called Arita ware.
Q3. Why is Arita ware white?
Arita ware is white because it is made from porcelain stone and fired at high temperatures. High-quality porcelain stone with low iron content creates a beautiful white porcelain body.
Q4. What is sometsuke?
Sometsuke is a technique in which designs are painted with gosu pigment before glazing and high-temperature firing. After firing, the design appears in a beautiful blue color.
Q5. What is overglaze decoration?
Overglaze decoration is a process in which red, green, yellow, gold, and other colors are painted on the surface of porcelain after glost firing. It is used to create colorful and decorative Arita ware.
Q6. Can Arita ware be used in a microwave?
Arita ware with gold or silver decoration should not be used in a microwave, as metallic elements may cause sparks. Even for plain or sometsuke pieces, it is best to check the care instructions for each product.
Q7. Can Arita ware be washed in a dishwasher?
Some everyday Arita ware can be dishwasher-safe, but hand washing is recommended for hand-painted pieces, gold decoration, artist-made works, and high-end items.
Q8. Why is each hand-painted Arita ware piece slightly different?
Because each piece is painted by hand, the thickness of lines, color depth, and brush movement may vary slightly. These small differences are part of the charm of handmade Arita ware.