1841-1910
male
kutani porcelain
A businessman from the Meiji era who exported items overseas with a focus on Kutani ware.
He started the “Omi kiln” in 1869 for members of samurai families; appointed Utsumi Kichizo as the factory chief; invited Haruna Shigeharu, Iwanami Gyokuzan, Iiiyama Katei, and other exceptional potters; and began production with roughly 80 artists. At the same time, he sought trade routes for overseas exports, cooperated with Marunaka Magohei to open branches in Kobe and Nagasaki, and won awards while exhibiting at the Paris 1878 Exposition. However, the factory was closed in 1880 due to the business worsening.
