Kutani-yaki Plate

Legend has it that the original Kutani-yaki was produced in the Yamanaka Onsen area of Kaga City. Today, it is a symbol of the colorful ceramics produced in the southern part of Ishikawa Prefecture, including Kanazawa City, Komatsu City, Kaga City, and Nomi City. The excellence of the painting on Kutani-yaki is such that there is a saying, "Kutani does not exist apart from its painting." Using vibrant traditional Japanese hard pigments in green, yellow, red, purple, and indigo, ceramics are painted after the initial firing and glazing. Painted pieces are then fired again. The plate in the picture, created by the Kaga potter Kouji Izukura, depicts the scene of Katano-kamoike, a wetland located by the seaside bordering Ishikawa Prefecture and Fukui Prefecture. In winter, thousands of geese and ducks migrate there. The area is known for being a habitat for the white-fronted goose, bean goose, and the endangered Baikal teal, making it one of Kaga City's representative landscapes.