Collection: Sometsuke / 染付

Sometsuke is a traditional blue-and-white porcelain technique, widely used in both Arita ware and Hasami ware. It originated in China during the Yuan-Ming dynasty, where cobalt blue pigment was used to paint designs onto white clay before being sealed under a clear glaze.

The technique was introduced to Japan in the early 1600s, around the time porcelain production began in Arita. Since then, sometsuke has become one of the most recognisable styles in Japanese ceramics: known for its deep indigo tones, fine hand-painted details, and the clean contrast between blue and white.