World's Fairs and Ceramics
World Expositions and Ceramics The boom in Japanese ceramics brought about by the 19th century World Expositions
From the end of the Edo period through the Meiji era, Japanese ceramics attracted a great deal of attention at international expositions around the world. In particular, the Paris Exposition of 1867 and the Vienna Exposition of 1873 were major turning points in the impact that Japanese pottery had on Europe and the United States. The traditional techniques and beauty cultivated since the Edo period fascinated foreign audiences, sparking a boom in "Japonism." In this article, we will look at the contents and highlights of the representative Japanese ceramics exhibited at both expositions (Imari ware, Kutani ware, Seto ware, Arita ware, and Kyo ware), their overseas acclaim, and the cultural background of the time. 
The 1867 Paris World's Fair (the 2nd Paris World's Fair) was the first world's fair in which Japan officially participated. At that time, Japan was still in the Edo period (1867), a turbulent time when the country was moving from isolation to opening up. The Tokugawa Shogunate decided to participate, and the Satsuma and Saga domains also exhibited on their own. The exotic atmosphere of the Japanese Pavilion stimulated the curiosity of visitors, and the teahouse even featured women in traditional Japanese clothing smoking pipes, which became a huge hit. Thanks to these and other productions, traditional Japanese culture was introduced to the West in earnest for the first time. 
The success of the Satsuma ware exceeded even the Japanese expectations, and it was praised at the event as a "hidden treasure of the Orient." Due to its high artistic value, there are records that the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London purchased Satsuma ware that had been exhibited at the World's Fair, which led to European art museums competing to collect it. The popularity of Satsuma ware also inspired Kyoto potters of the same period. At the time, Kyoto master craftsman Kinkozan Sobei and others studied Satsuma ware techniques and created "Kyoto Satsuma," incorporating the luxurious style of kinrande (gold brocade) into their own Kyoto ware. Furthermore, pottery with Satsuma-style overglaze painting was produced in Yokohama, Nagasaki and other places, and exports became popular. The 1867 World's Fair thus sparked a boom in the export of Japanese ceramics.The World Exposition Fostered Japonism Fever
Japanese arts and crafts, which were first exhibited at the Paris World's Fair, blew a breath of fresh air into the Western art world. In particular, Japanese forms such as ceramics, lacquerware, and ukiyo-e art shocked European artists with their unprecedented designs and sense of color. In fact, the World's Fair was the catalyst for a boom in "Japanese taste" in France, and the trend of Japonism began in earnest. For example, it is well known that Impressionist masters such as Manet, Degas, and Monet collected Japanese ukiyo-e prints and crafts, and incorporated Japanese motifs into their own works. In the world of ceramics, French ceramist Théodore Decq and others studied Japanese glazes and designs, and applied them to their own style. Furthermore, ceramic manufacturers in Britain and Germany began to produce works that imitated the Japanese Imari style, and "Japonisme" designs began to flood European tableware. The 1867 Paris World's Fair was the starting point of the stimulation that Japanese art provided to modern Western art, and was a historic event that opened the door to subsequent cultural exchange. .
Vienna World Exposition of 1873: Meiji Japan put all its efforts into the Great Crafts Exhibition
After the Meiji Restoration, the new government also viewed world expositions as an opportunity to promote the country. The Vienna World Exposition in 1873 was the first exposition that the Meiji government officially participated in, and Japan went there with the mission of showing the world the image of a new, "civilized" nation. With the advice of foreign chemist Wagner and others employed by the government, the exhibition was structured around exquisite arts and crafts unique to Japan that could not be found in the West. A wide variety of items were exhibited, ranging from silk textiles, lacquerware, swords, and Buddhist statues to everyday items, but the highlight was the carefully selected ceramics from around the country. .
Famous pottery from the Meiji period that astonished the world
The Japan Pavilion at the Vienna World Expo brought together masterpieces from various production areas, including Satsuma ware, Imari ware, Seto ware, Kutani ware, and Kyo ware. Satsuma ware continued to be a big hit, and the Chinjukan Kiln of Kagoshima excited the crowd with a gigantic 6-foot (180cm) tall Satsuma vase . This six-foot jar was densely decorated with delicate gold and colored paintings, and it is said that it overwhelmed the European visitors. In fact, Satsuma ware was praised as "Japanese pottery that is the best in the world," and since then, "Satsuma" has gained such international acclaim that it has become synonymous with Japanese pottery. . 
Meanwhile, Aichi's Seto ware is no slouch either. Seto has been a ceramics producing region since the Middle Ages, but porcelain production began to pick up steam at the end of the Edo period. At the Expo, Seto porcelain with beautiful indigo blue porcelain was exhibited, and the craftsmanship was recognized , with the Seto porcelain winning a gold medal. This was a source of great pride for Japanese industrial products, and was a remarkable achievement that made the name "Setomono" known around the world. Furthermore, Kutani ware also made a great leap forward in Vienna. Kutani ware, which has ties to the Kaga domain, was a type of ceramic ware that had temporarily declined during the Meiji Restoration but was trying to revive as an export industry during the Meiji period. It made its official overseas debut as "Japan Kutani" at the 1873 World Exposition, where its vibrant five colors and lavish gold decoration (Kutani brocade) caught the eyes of visitors and its name quickly spread. The company won a series of awards at exhibitions across Europe, and Japan Kutani became known as a representative brand of Japanese overglaze porcelain. In fact, Kutani ware won many awards, including gold medals , at international expositions after Vienna (Philadelphia in 1876, Paris in 1878, etc.), demonstrating the artistic quality of Japanese overglaze porcelain. . 
Kyoyaki - The power of Kyoto's "capital pottery" shown to the world
Starting with Raku ware and Kiyomizu ware (Awataguchi and Gojozaka) in the Momoyama period, Kyoto has seen the intersection of many different styles, including Omuro ware used by the Imperial Court , Kenzan ware following the Rinpa school of design, and Aoki Mokubei ware with a passion for sencha tea. Collectively, these are known as "Kyoto ware." Originally, with a background in tea ceremony culture, Kyoto excelled in small quantities of a wide variety of highly detailed paintings , but in the second half of the 19th century, the World Expo was a catalyst for the shift to an export-oriented style.
"Kyoto Satsuma" was born in response to the Paris World's Fair (1867)
When the gold brocade of Satsuma ware caused a "gold craze" at the Paris World's Fair, Kinkozan Sobei, the sixth generation of the prestigious Awataguchi family in Kyoto, immediately began researching techniques. Around 1870, he completed Kyo Satsuma , featuring gorgeous gold leaf and detailed paintings on a white background, and began full-scale exports the following year in 1872. Word of its success in Kyoto spread to Kobe and Yokohama, and the "SATSUMA" brand took the world by storm. 
Achievement at the Vienna World's Fair (1873)
At the Vienna World Exposition, which was the first time the Meiji government officially participated, products of Kiyomizu ware and Kurita ware (from the area around Gojozaka today) were exhibited in great numbers, as recorded in the history books: "Kiyomizu Kurita ware from Imari, Seto, Mino, Kutani, and Kyoto..." 
What the Kyoto ware movement demonstrated was not just "luxury = Satsuma style," but also diversity, such as precision in porcelain molding and sculptural reliefs , and European collectors took note of the combination of "elegance" and "skill" in Kyoto works.
Innovation at Seifu Yohei Kobo
The third generation Seifu Yohei (1851-1914) completed his own unique pure white porcelain "Taihakuji" after exhibiting in Vienna. He combined Chinese Jingdezhen techniques with the fine brushwork of Kyoto ware, making full use of shallow carved patterns and pastel-colored glazes. The studio mass-produced tea ceremony utensils and large vases with Western flower designs , which received high praise at the Chicago International Exposition (1893) and the Paris International Exposition (1900). This is the origin of the "Seifū-ryū white porcelain" that continues to this day.
The influence of Kyoto ware on Western design
Japonism/Art Nouveau: The curved decorations of Kyoto Satsuma, which use pine and chrysanthemums as borders, were referenced in the glass works of Gallé and the Daum brothers.
Tableware revolution: Kyo-yaki is presented as "usable art," with product design suggestions including a six-piece set of coffee cups and saucers and a lamp base to suit the Western dining table.
Art education: The V&A in the UK and the Guimet Museum in France purchased Kyoto ware as specimens for teaching materials, and European craft schools studied the brushwork techniques of overglaze painting.
Mass production, decline, and the present
At the end of the Meiji period, overheated exports led to mass production of shoddy ware, and in the 1910s, the market for Kyo-Satsuma ware stalled due to World War I and the influx of counterfeit goods. Nevertheless , the Kyoto Ceramic Testing Laboratory (now the Kyoto Municipal Industrial Technology Research Institute) continued to research glazes, and after the war, contemporary artists once again took to the international stage. In recent years, Kiyomizu Rokubei and Kuroda Taizo have held solo exhibitions at art museums around the world, and Kyo-yaki has been revived through the combination of traditional crafts and contemporary art.
Reactions in Europe and the US and their influence on Japonism
The success of Japanese ceramics at the Vienna World's Fair in 1873 further accelerated the boom in Japanese interest in Europe and the United States. Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, who visited the exhibition, praised the workmanship of the Japan Pavilion, and many visitors purchased Japanese ceramics and crafts. The Japan Pavilion was a huge success every day, and Western newspapers are said to have reported on it with headlines such as "Far Eastern Art Appears in Vienna." In particular, the intricate and gorgeous Satsuma and Kutani ware works left people astonished, with some saying it was "like seeing a vision of the golden island of Zipangu." The fame of Japanese ceramics was solidified in Europe and the US through the Expo. After the Expo, Japanese influence became even more evident in Western arts and crafts. In France, ceramists studied Japanese colored paintings and glazes, and the movement to produce Oriental-style ceramics spread. In Britain, Royal Worcester and other companies began selling "Japanese style" ceramics, and Japanese designs such as peacocks, chrysanthemums, and fans were incorporated into Western ceramic design. This trend was also reflected in the Art Nouveau style that was gaining popularity at the time, and it is said that Japanese beauty influenced this artistic movement that favored curvaceous, natural motifs. The positive evaluation at the Expo also gave confidence to Japan, which led to the subsequent promotion of the industry. The government encouraged the ceramics industry in various regions, and product improvements were made with an eye on overseas markets. For example, after the Expo, Arita porcelain kilns collaborated with Western chemists to innovate pigments and technologies, and succeeded in improving quality. To meet overseas demand, mass production of Kutani ware was also established, and painting studios that painted Western-style designs for export were established in Tokyo, Yokohama, and other areas. The fame gained at the World Expo contributed greatly to the blossoming of Japanese ceramics into a major export industry during the Meiji period. .
The Expo Connected East and West Ceramics
The 19th century world expositions were not merely a place for Japanese ceramics to be exhibited, but a stage for them to take a leap into the world. The masterpieces of Imari and Satsuma wares, which were first exhibited at the Paris Exposition in 1867 , made a strong impression on Westerners and opened the door to a boom in Japanese art. At the subsequent Vienna World Exposition in 1873 , famous kilns from all over the country competed against each other, demonstrating the strength of Meiji Japan, and the artistic and technical capabilities of Japanese ceramics were once again recognized by the world. In the midst of the whirlwind of Japonism that was sweeping the West, Japanese ceramics were cherished as works of art and luxury goods, and at the same time, they inspired Western craftspeople. The encounters brought about by the World Expo, which stimulated and inspired people to encounter different cultures, also became an opportunity to evolve Japanese pottery. Building on its success at the Expo, Arita ware continued to develop by incorporating the power of science. Kutani ware has grown into a global brand known as "Japan Kutani." Kyoto ware also invented new styles, while Seto ware refined traditional indigenous techniques. Each pottery style competed with each other while also being conscious of overseas markets, raising the overall level of Japanese ceramics. About 150 years ago, the colorful vases and plates lined up at the glamorous World Expo must have seemed so fresh and exotic to foreign visitors. Their surprise and admiration were also the joy of art resonating across borders. Japanese ceramics flew around the world through the World Expo, and wrote a page in history where Eastern and Western aesthetics intersected. Today, many of the works from that time are kept in European and American museums and are carefully passed down. When we look at them, we can feel not just the works of art, but also the drama of the 19th century, when cultures met and merged.