White and translucent, intricate yet surprisingly strong, each elegant piece of porcelain known as “KAKUFUSA Porcelain” is hand-shaped exclusively from fine AMAKUSA clay and fired at over 1300 degrees Centigrade. The most intricate pieces require up to three months of patient craftsmanship. For around 400 years in Western Japan, the IMAMURA family has produced this exquisite porcelain, much prized by Japanese and European royalty. Today, Hitoshi Imamura continues this unique artistic tradition for the 14th consecutive generation.
Mr. Hitoshi Imamura have been continued to produce “KAKUFUSA Porcelain” ceramic tradition today, the 14th generation of his family to do so. His work has been featured prominently in exhibitions in Italy and Switzerland, in addition to his native Japan. Delicate but strong, known as “HIRADO ESTUZAN” ,this is the brand name which was produced by Mr. Hitoshi Imamura, intricate beauty requires a very high degree of skill with lathe and scalping tools. Each individually handmade piece is an expression of expert craftsmanship in pure-white porcelain.
Hirado Etsuzan porcelain is fired at such high temperatures at 1,300 degrees, for so long, in order to achieve its characteristic, pristine whiteness. But the clay shrinks and deforms as it hardens in the extreme heat. Therefore the potter must shape each piece so that the fire will melt it into its final form. Such craftsmanship requires tremendous patience, virtuoso-caliber sculpting skills and vivid imagination.