Fukagawa

Fukagawa is a family, a brand name, a place and nowadays a porcelain factory in the Arita region. Its history goes back to the seventeenth century. Fukagawa is thus a part but not all of Arita.

Its history starts with Ezaiemon Fukagawa who in 1856 became head of his family's porcelain business and in 1875 founded Koransha (The Company of the Scented Orchid) in Arita, Japan, to produce tableware for export.

In 1894 the modern Fukagawa company was founded by Chuji Fukagawa, with the Fukagawa trade mark of Mount Fuji and a stream, as its trade mark.

In the Paris International Exposition in 1900 Chuji Fukagawa won the medaille d'or with a large Flower Vase. Among many famous artists Kinsaku Ide, shape designer, and the sculptor Toshi Ninomiya could be noted as having taken part in producing the Paris Expo 1900 prize-winning vase.

Similarities in style with Hirado can be seen in some of the early (late Meiji period) Fukagawa pieces, but the Iro-nabeshima style (decoration in enamels such as the Ko-Imari style) is more common.

Not all Fukagawa pieces were marked with the Red Orchid mark, or Mount Fuji with a Stream. Some were simply written in red, but also in blue and could be marked with the character for sei or tsukuru, both meaning made. The calligraphy was widely varied. Some were very artistic with flair while some were hurried and simple.

The Fukagawa company has served as purveyor for the Japanese Imperial Household since 1910 and only produces what we mean by white true high temperature porcelain.

Jan-Erik Nilsson

Ko Ran Sha (Scented Orchid Company) 1875-1894
In 1875 the porcelain potter and business man Ezaiemon Fukagawa founded a company he named Scented Orchid Company or 'Koransha' and started to produce porcelain for export to Europe and America. The orchid mark seems to have been used into modern times.
	370. Mark: Nichi Hi Yama Fukagawa tsukuru, late 19th century. This mark was used by Koransha before the company divided and Fukagawa Seiji was established in 1894. The three characters on the right hand side read Nichi, Hi, Yama from top to bottom. Nichi refers to Nippon (Japan). Hi refers to Hizen (Present day Saga Prefecture). Yama refers to Arita Sarayama (the location of the kiln). The characters on the left read Fukagawa tsukuru which means "made by Fukagawa".
	764. Fukagawa tsukuru - "Made by Fukagawa", This type of porcelain wares was made by the Fukagawa Koransha potters of Arita around 1875. The Fukagawa / Koransha company (The Company of the Scented Orchid) was founded by Ezaiemon Fukagawa, to produce table wares for export. Click here to see large picture
	737. "Fukagawa Koransha", orchid mark. Modern. Click here to see large picture
	944. Mark: Koransha, with impressed Fukagawa Orchid mark. Written in katagana, right to left. A company/kiln still producing high quality porcelain, from Arita in western Japan. Tentative date; Mid to late 19th century. Click here to see large picture
	1135. Mark: Koransha, with impressed Fukagawa Orchid mark. Written in katagana, right to left. A company/kiln still producing high quality porcelain, from Arita in western Japan. Tentative date; Mid to late 19th century. Click here to see large picture
FUKAGAWA
	409. Fukagawa. "Fuka gawa sei" - Made by Fukagawa. (Mark in use around 1892)
	923. Mark: Fukagawa Iroe Saiji, Meaning; probably the name of the decorator. Tentative date; Second half of the 20th century. Click here to see large picture
Seiji Kaisha (Pure Water Company) 1879 - c.1890
In 1879 Seiji Kaisha or the Pure Water Company, was founded by members of the Fukagawa, Tsuji, Fukami and Tezuka families in Arita, who were at one time associated with Koransha or, The Scented Orchid Porcelain Company. The Seiji Kaisha Company made dinner wares for the Western market, same as Koransha. The commonly found information that the company should have only been in business for 4 years (1879-1883) has been countered in modern Japanese texts. The factory does not appears to have shut its doors before 1890, after which the impressed mark on blanks still may have lingered for several years. Seiji Kaisha marks on porcelain occurs at least as late as Meiji 38 (1905).
	1179. Plate. Mark: Sei Ji Kai Sha - (Pure Water Company) 1879-1890. Click here to see large picture
	1180. Plate. Mark: Sei Ji Kai Sha - (Pure Water Company) 1879-1890. Click here to see large picture
	1181. Plate. Mark: Sei Ji Kai Sha - (Pure Water Company) 1879-1890. Click here to see large picture
	1182. Plate. Mark: Sei Ji Kai Sha - (Pure Water Company) 1879-1890. Click here to see large picture
RECENT ADDITION
	1280. Plate. Mark: Tsukuru "make", mark of Fukagawa immediately after WWII, around 1945-50 Click here to see large picture

The gotheborg.com marks page was originally initiated by a donation of marks from the collection of Karl-Hans Schneider, Euskirchen, Germany in July 2000. The section have since then been greatly extended by a large number of contributing collectors.