Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 8.djvu/135

 decorative skill of its members. The present representative is Setoguchi Tamiemon.

The Imaizumi family, founded by an artist of that name, about 1780.—Its members have always confined themselves to the decorative industry. Imaizumi Imaemon, who died in 1871, acquired great reputation in this line. The present representative is Imaizumi Toda.

The Kajiwara family, founded by an artist of that name, about 1680.—Of late years the Kajiwara experts have been famous for the production of monster plaques. Kajiwara Kikujiro manufactured a plate four feet in diameter in 1866. His son, the present representative, is scarcely less skilled.

The Fukushima family, founded by an expert of that name, about 1835.—This Fukushima is said to have manufactured a plate three feet in diameter in 1848. His son Fukushima Kojiro, the present representative, is reputed to be able to produce plates four feet in diameter and bowls over twenty feet in circumference.

The families of Okushi, Takeshita, Maeda, Iwasaki, have worked at the Okawachi factories since the latter half of the last century. They are now represented by Okushi Tatsuji, Okushi Moemon, Takeshita Shoshichi, Maeda Tetsuzo, and Iwasaki Kimbei, who produce thick wares covered with céladon glazes, coarsely crackled.

The Hayashi family, founded by Hayashi Jin-no-suke, a pupil of Takahara Goroshichi (1620).—Eleven generations have succeeded each other since then. In the beginning of the eighteenth century the family name was changed to Fuji, and the present representative is Fuji Shinsuke.

The Soejima family, founded by a Korean potter named Soejima Unkaku, who, with seventeen other keramists, was ordered to settle at Sarayama, in the district of Yoshida-mura, about 1600. Moemon, son of Unkaku, discovered porcelain stone at Nashi-noki-da, in the neighbourhood of the factory, and Prince Nabeshima, by whom the settlement of potters had been formed, directed that the newly found porcelain stone only should be used at the factory, and that the number of potters should be strictly limited to eighteen. Moemon, the discoverer, was appointed keramist to the