Kakiemon Kiln

The Kakiemon kiln has been active since the 1640s and holds a specific place in Japanese ceramics history: Sakaida Kisoemon, the first family head, was the first person to successfully develop a method for applying colorful overglaze enamels to Japanese porcelain, a technique that transformed the craft. His heirs have used the Kakiemon name ever since, now on the fifteenth generation. The current head, Kakiemon XV, personally fires the distinctive milky-white nigoshide pieces three to four times a year in a Meiji-era wood-fired kiln using Japanese red pine. A large persimmon tree on the grounds pays homage to the family name, and the tea house opens to the public during the annual porcelain festival from April 29 to May 5.