30/09/2026
The story of Mikawachi ware (三河内焼き) began in 1598 in the hills above Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture (長崎県佐世保市). For generations, its porcelain was created for the lords of the Hirado domain and as prestigious presentation pieces, rather than for ordinary commercial production.
The expectation was always exceptional craftsmanship, and this freedom to work without prioritising speed or cost shaped Mikawachi ware into something extraordinarily delicate and precise—porcelain that can feel closer to drawing or sculpture than everyday pottery.
Hirado Kosho Danemon Kiln (平戸洸祥団右ヱ衛門窯) has inherited this tradition through the Nakazato family, with the current head, Nakazato Taiyo（中里太陽）, representing the eighteenth generation. For the family, preserving the kiln is not simply about reproducing old designs, but about protecting the skills, patience and way of thinking passed down over centuries, while allowing this historic craftsmanship to remain meaningful in modern life.
