Koimari Plate

This porcelain plate was made in the Arita-yaki style, also known as Imari-yaki. The Imari name derives from the port of Imari in Saga Prefecture from which such porcelain was historically exported. Koimari refers to vintage porcelain made during the Edo period (1603-1867 CE), which therefore is no longer in production.

Imari-yaki is characterized by its vivid blue decorative designs on pure white porcelain, achieved via an underglaze technique. First, the clay body is fired at temperatures reaching as high as 1300 degrees Celsius. The resulting white porcelain is decorated using cobalt oxide. Once the porcelain has been coated in a transparent glaze and fired for a second time, this pigment creates a bright blue colour.