Touetsugama

Touetsugama is a 350+ year old kiln run by 14th generation master ceramics craftsman Kenichi Imamura in Arita Town, Saga Prefecture.

The Imamura family began making pottery in the current Mikawachiyama, Sasebo City, with Koseki and his family who came to Japan at the invitation of Prince Matsuura when he played the role of Hideyoshi Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the third year of Keicho (1598). In the 18th year of Kan'ei (1641), Sannosuke II was appointed as a lord and deputy officer of the Hirado Domain, and Yajibei III was named "Nyosaru" by Prince Matsuura because he was dexterous like a monkey. In 1664, Hirado was supplied by research on white porcelain production using Amakusa pottery stone and white porcelain production presented by the Shogunate. Shoemon 4th, Zenemon 5th, Riemon 6th, Katsuji 7th, Ritaro Yatsushiro, Kotaro 9th continued as a kiln, and with the abolition of the kiln by the abolition of the feudal clan, Toshisaku 10th, 11th Fusataro Yatsushiro started trading in the Netherlands and developed new products such as coffee bowls while preserving traditional techniques. In 1963, the 12th generation Kao moved the kiln to Arita-cho to expand the kiln, and produced mainly tea utensils. Hiroshi 13th generation exhibited at the Nitten, Contemporary Crafts Frankfurt, British Museum, etc.  Currently, Kenichi Imamura is the 14th generation master craftsman at Touestugama.

『陶悦窯の沿革』

今村家は慶長三年豊臣秀吉の文祿慶長の役の折、松浦公の招へいにより来日した巨関（こせき）とその一統により現在の佐世保市三川内山にて製陶を始めました。
寛永十八年（1641）二代 三之丞は皿山棟梁兼代官に任じられ平戸藩御用窯となり、三代 弥次兵衛は猿の様に器用な事から松浦公より『如猿』の名を頂き、天草陶石による白磁製作研究と幕府献上の白磁製作により寛永四年（1664）には百石を給しました。 四代 庄右エ門、五代 善右エ門、六代 利右エ門、七代 勝治、八代 利太郎、九代 廣太郎まで御用窯として続き、廃藩置県による御用窯廃止で十代　利作、十一代　房太郎はオランダ貿易を始め、伝統技術を守りながら珈琲碗などの新商品開発を行いました。 窯場拡張のため昭和三十八年（1963）十二代　鹿男は有田町に窯を移し、茶道具を中心に製作、十三代 博は日展をはじめ現代工芸フランクフルト展、大英博物館展など出品。 現在、十四代 堅一に至ります。