Amakusa Island in Kumamoto Prefecture is a source of quartz coarse-grained rock, which is used as a raw material for porcelain in various fields. During the Genroku era (1688-1704), the Ueda family of Takahama Village (Takahama, Amakusa Town) discovered it at Takanosu in the same village and sold it exclusively as a grinding stone. He invited Yamaji Kouemon from Hizen and started Sarayama ware in 1762. Then, during the Meiwa period (1764-72), he traded with Dutch people living in Goto under the encouragement of Tsuge Yamatomori, the magistrate of Nagasaki, and after Gensaku VII, he exclusively focused on manufacturing for the domestic market, which was temporarily discontinued in 1838 (Tempo-9).
In 1869 (Meiji 2), the porcelain firing business was re-established and continued until 1895 (Meiji 28), after which the business shifted to the sale of raw stones. (Rikizo Shiota)
