Korean Potter Tombs at Okawachiyama

陶工の墓

Est. 20Imari, Kyushu

Overview

Pyramid-shaped stone monument across the river from Okawachiyama, marking the graves of Korean potters brought to Japan in the early 1600s.

Across the small river that runs alongside Okawachiyama village stands a quiet pyramid-shaped stone monument marking the graves of the Korean potters brought to Kyushu in the early 1600s after Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasions of the peninsula. These potters carried the techniques that became Arita and Nabeshima porcelain, and their descendants founded several of the kiln families still firing today. The site is unmarked on most tourist maps; reach it via the small footbridge at the village's north end.

Local tips

Pair with a stop at one of the kilns whose families trace back to the Korean potters — Kakiemon and Imaemon both have roots in this lineage.

Practical info

Japanese name: 陶工の墓

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