Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop: Drying and Decorating Hasami Ware
The Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop (旧福幸製陶所絵書座, Kyū Fukkō Seitōsho Ekakiza) is a timber workshop of about 1926 at the former Fukko porcelain works in Isekigo, Hasami-cho, Nagasaki Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on February 23, 2012.
Ekakiza means, roughly, the painters' room. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, shaped pieces were left here to dry and were then decorated. The present managers of the site call it the painting house and say bisque-fired pieces came here to be painted or glazed before their second, final firing.
With a building area of 213 m², the Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop is the second largest of the four registered buildings, after the forming workshop. It now houses HANA wakusui, a shop of everyday goods for dressing, eating and living.
Why the Fukko Painting Workshop Matters
The building is registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it one of the factory buildings that make up a representative Hasami porcelain works, and Nagasaki Prefecture rates it highly on the same grounds.
Much Hasami ware is white porcelain painted in cobalt blue. Because the room where that painting was done survives next to the forming workshop, you can follow the factory's process from building to building rather than having to imagine it.
Structure and Highlights of the Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop
The workshop runs east to west, 23 metres long and 7.7 metres deep, under a tiled gable roof (Kirizuma-zukuri, Sangawara-buki). Its depth is the same 7.7 metres as the forming workshop.
An office projects from the south side, a small administrative room attached to the shop floor. Walking along that side, you can see the room jutting out from the main gabled block.
The roof is carried on a Truss, leaving the interior free of posts. Drying racks and painters' benches needed floor area and light, and you can still read that open plan between the shelves of the shop. Look up at the roof frame while you browse.
Visiting the Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop
The Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop is open to visitors while HANA wakusui is trading: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on Wednesdays, according to the Nishinohara shop guide. The shop also runs seasonal exhibitions on themes of everyday living.
The exterior, including the office projecting from the south wall, can be seen from the paths inside the grounds. We could not confirm the photography policy indoors, so ask the staff before photographing the shop or its displays.
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Q&A
- What was the Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop used for?
- Shaped porcelain was dried and then painted in the Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop. The building dates from about 1926.
- How do you read the Japanese name of the Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop?
- It is Kyū Fukkō Seitōsho Ekakiza. Ekakiza (絵書座) refers to the room where pottery was painted.
- When was the Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop registered?
- The Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 23, 2012.
- How large is the Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop?
- The Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop is a single-storey timber building 23 metres long and 7.7 metres deep, with a building area of 213 m² and an office projecting on the south side.
- Can I go inside the Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop?
- Yes. The Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop is now the shop HANA wakusui, open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Wednesdays.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Fukko Pottery Works Painting Workshop |
|---|---|
| Location | 2185-2 Nishinomae, Isekigo, Hasami-cho, Higashisonogi-gun, Nagasaki Prefecture, and other locations |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered on February 23, 2012 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 213 m² (23 m by 7.7 m) |
| Owner | Saikai Toki Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Operates as a shop (11 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Wednesdays) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 旧福幸製陶所絵書座
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009243
- Cultural Heritage Online (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 旧福幸製陶所絵書座
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/240026
- Nagasaki Prefecture Cultural Properties Database: 旧福幸製陶所絵書座
- https://www.pref.nagasaki.jp/bunkadb/index.php/view/416
- Nishinohara: About Nishinohara (Japanese)
- https://24nohara.jp/about/
- Nishinohara: Shops (Japanese)
- https://24nohara.jp/shop/
Last verified: 2026.10.02
