Satsuma ware is a type of Japanese earthenware pottery that originated in the late 16th century, and is still produced today. Typical Satsuma ware is a yellowish earthenware usullay decorated with a minute decoration of Japanese figures, expressive faces or detailed oriental landscapes, or sometimes embellished with vivid dragons in relief. This ware is in fact an export product specifically designed in the mid 19th century to cater to the western export market. The Japanese themselves had very little interest in this ware. From around the 1890's to the early 1920's at least twenty larger studios or factories were producing "Satsuma" wares of which much were of low quality and destined for the European and American export markets.
At the same time, other artists were producing exquisite wares of the highest quality. There were many masterpieces created during its heyday and several studios have created eternal fame for their names with these magnificent wares. Most high quality export 'Satsuma' is easily recognized by its finely crackled glaze and by the fact that its yellowish earthenware body does not "ring" when tapped. The production soon spread to several cities such as Kyoto, Tokyo, Nagoya, Yokohama and elsewhere throughout Japan, from the Meiji period (1868-1912) up until today. The original Satsuma Han however has a much longer history than that. If you click the map icon to the right you will find this as the Satsuma area on the southern Kyushu island. The first historical kilns were established by Korean potters in the late 16th century. These first wares were a massive and hard stoneware, covered with a thick dark glaze, a ware that are so rare that only museums might have a few to show. The success of the Satsuma export decorative style inspired many followers, some of which have a stoneware body or one of pure white porcelain. Thease wares thus inspired a whole design movement in the West known as Japonism.