Founded in 1953 in Yoshida, Ureshino City, Saga Prefecture, Soekyu Seitosho is a distinguished ceramics manufacturer rooted in the historic Hizen-Yoshida pottery tradition, an area adjacent to Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain.
From its inception, the company has specialised in producing high-quality tableware for daily use, embodying the spirit of functional beauty and craftsmanship that defines the Hizen-Yoshida ware tradition. Early production focused on traditional painted motifs, and over time the business has evolved through generations, preserving long-established techniques while embracing creative innovation.
A defining milestone came in 2015 with the development of the GOSU series — a signature collection showcasing five distinct shades of gosu, the traditional Japanese cobalt blue pigment. This series offers an innovative reinterpretation of the classic dami brush painting technique, in which richly pigmented cobalt is applied by hand onto unglazed pottery, allowing subtle tonal variations and expressive depth to emerge through the firing process, resulting in vibrant blues that respond uniquely to the kiln environment.
Today, Soekyu Seitosho is led by Hisahiro Soejima, the third-generation CEO, alongside his wife Michiko Soejima. Together, this family business continues the legacy of the company’s founder, Kyuhachi Soejima, maintaining artisanal standards while evolving its craft.