Exhibition of Imari Ware Adapted to the Edo-Period Lifestyle

Toguri Museum of Art

This event has ended.

Imari ware was used almost exclusively by members of Japan’s upper classes such as feudal lords and nobility during the early-Edo period because porcelain was an expensive, high-class item. By the end of the 18th century, however, the living had standard improved and the common culture had become more enlightened, resulting in Imari ware coming into use among ordinary people. A great variety of wares were manufactured amid the development of the food service industries throughout Japan. Not only the serving ware but also cosmetic tools, stationeries, door handles, and other items developed for more common use in the everyday life. Octopus arabesque designs, the motifs of the Fifty-Three Stations of Tokaido, and illustrated Japanese maps are good examples. This exhibition showcases the wealth of Edo culture and its manufacturing techniques.