Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 8.djvu/77

 and Fuka-umi Obasen. Shortly after the discovery of Izumi-yama, their kiln at Hyakken was closed by order and they were transferred to the Arita district. Doubtless the immediate purpose of this change was to bring the workmen within easy reach of their materials. But subsequently the secluded position of Arita-gōri conferred an additional advantage. Embedded among the spurs of Kuro-kamiyama, or "black-hair mountain," it could easily be guaranteed against all ingress, and when the unique nature of its mineral resources as well as the excellence of its experts' processes came to be appreciated, the feudal chief of the province placed guard-houses at the passes, caused every person and thing passing in or out to be strictly examined, and severely penalised the sale of the wares.

Some fifteen years after the transfer of the factory to Arita, the names of Kakiemon and Goroshichi began to be prominently associated with the manufacture of the new porcelain. The former is said to have been a man of remarkable enterprise and originality, and these faculties, as well as his artistic instincts, raised him to the head of the potters. One can readily conceive that whatever technical skill the Koreans possessed, their artistic inferiority must have placed them at a disadvantage compared with the Japanese. But as yet there was not much opportunity to display artistic inspiration. For some forty years after the discovery of the Izumi-yama stone it is probable that the Arita potters decorated their wares chiefly with blue under the glaze. Until quite recently it was believed that they were unacquainted with the processes of applying vitrifiable enamels over the glaze. But excavations undertaken two years ago