Kutani Ware Plate, Four Patterns

At a glance

- Kutani yaki (九谷焼) porcelain, Seikou Kiln, Ishikawa Prefecture; overglaze colour applied using the workshop's own in house transfer technique, developed to bring genuine Kutani colour to everyday use
- Four traditional patterns to choose from: Chidori (a small plover shown flying over waves), Sakura (cherry blossom), Umekiku (plum and chrysanthemum), or Ishidatami (a chequered, cobblestone pattern)
- Approx. 21cm diameter, H2.5cm; dishwasher and microwave safe

Four patterns share the same 21cm plate, each carrying its own piece of Japanese symbolism.

• Chidori (a small plover shown flying over waves) is one of Japan's oldest good luck patterns; birds crossing rough water together have long stood for a marriage, or a household, that gets through hard times side by side, and the name plays on a pun for taking a thousand victories.
• Sakura (cherry blossom) needs little introduction; here it scatters densely across a deep blue ground, marking the turn of the Japanese year toward spring.
• Umekiku (plum and chrysanthemum) pairs two flowers often seen together in Japanese design: ume flowers while snow is still on the ground, a symbol of quiet resilience, while kiku, the chrysanthemum, is Japan's flower of longevity.
• Ishidatami (a chequered, cobblestone pattern) takes its name from stone paving laid out in a grid; in Japan it is considered protective against misfortune, and because the grid repeats outward with no natural end, it is also read as a wish for prosperity that keeps on going.

Kutani yaki began in Japan's early Edo period, in the 17th century, in Kutani village in what is now Ishikawa Prefecture, a coloured porcelain tradition now some 350 years old, known for bold patterns and its five traditional colours, still loved around the world today. Seikou Kiln itself opened in 1935 in Terai, Ishikawa, continuing the styles of the painters who came before while working toward a more contemporary reading of Kutani yaki, and has spent decades since researching its own colour tones, including aote, one of Kutani's historic blue and green palettes. Its transfer paper is developed in house, formulated to carry Kutani's thick, glossy overglaze colour, applied by hand until the seams disappear entirely.

At 21cm, it works as an everyday dinner plate or, laid flatter, a generous plate for a fry up, pancakes, or a Sunday roast portion. Ishidatami, Umekiku and Chidori are also sold as matching sets:
- Umekiku set: plate, mug, lucky cup and rice bowl
- Ishidatami set: plate, mug and rice bowl
- Chidori set: plate, lucky cup and rice bowl