山深き、大聖寺川上流の旧九谷村。訪れる人も疎らな奥山に「古九谷窯址」の碑が静かに佇んでいます。1655年（明歴元年）頃、大聖寺藩はこの地の陶石をもとに開窯。創出された磁器は、後に「古九谷」と呼ばれ、日本色絵磁器の礎となりました。青（緑）、黄、赤、紺青ー。濃厚な色彩が自由闊達に躍る上絵は、九谷焼の”美の源流”です。しかし、わずか半世紀で謎に包まれ廃業。その約100年後、加賀藩の奨励により、九谷焼は再び覚醒します。春日山窯、若杉窯が開窯、「再興九谷」の気運に乗じた吉田屋窯らが次々に色絵磁器を生産するなど、さまざまな感性が競い合い融合し、今日に受け継がれる百花繚乱の上絵技術が誕生しました。「古九谷」に端を成す芸術性と「再興九谷」で備わった用の美を具有する九谷焼は、時空を超えて、今もさらなる飛翔を続けます。

At the upper reaches of the Daisyoji River,deep in the mountains,there was once a village called Kutani.A stone mounment bearing the inscription "Ko-Kutani kiln ruins" stands quietly in a clearing. It marks the spot where the Daishoji Clan established a kiln in about 1655,to make use of the local porcelain stone. The porcelain ware that was created there was created there was later called"Ko-Kutani,"and became the foundation for Japanese colored porcelain ware. Rich overglaze colors applied with fluid brushworkーgreen,yellow,red,purple and blueーgive Kutani porcelain its characteristic beauty. However,only half a century later the kiln was abandoned for reasons that nobody knows. About 100 years later,Kutani porcelain was revived under the patronage of the Kaga clan. The kasugayama and Wakasugi kilns were established,and kilns such as the Yoshidaya kiln rode on the momentum of "revived Kutani",all producing overglaze porcelain ware.Various styles competed and combined to develop into the overglaze techniques that have been handed down to this day. Kutani porcelain,which combines the artistry of Ko-kutani ware and the utilitarian beauty that developed from "revived Kutani",continues to evolve.