The island of Hirado is situated west of Kyushu, its has a capital city bearing
Following the Imjin War, a group of Korean potters were taken to the island, where they started to produce porcelain that became known as Hirado Ware.
The island of Hirado is situated west of Kyushu, its has a capital city bearing the same name. It was ruled for nearly 800 years by the Matsura Daimyo family. The place served as a trade post with China since ancient times and, from 1550 to 1641, served as the main port of entry for foreign trade into Japan. Following the Imjin War, a group of Korean potters were taken to the island, where they started to produce porcelain that became known as Hirado Ware. Another product made in Hirado was sword mounts bearing a signature "Kunishige". The work done here was often done in soft metal, mostly copper alloy. The designs often incorporated Chinese style dragon chasing pearls and Western elements. A particularly fine example of the work signed with Hirado Kunishige. The copper alloy tsuba is carved with a fine chisel, showing a very steady and controlled hand. The decor consists of a dragon on the Omote (表) front and two on the Ura (裏) back. They have well-defined bodies and facial features. The dragon's eyes are inlaid with gold. Very unusual is the addition of green Jade enamel in the negative space. It is one of only very few pieces by this workshop to have this finish, which seems to indicate it was only briefly experimented with. The Korean pottery tradition that was established on Hirado likely had something to do with it, as it is distinct from the more opaque enamel favored in China.
Hirado Kunishige
平戸市國重Active in Hizen Province during the mid-Edo period, specifically the Kyōho era (1726–1736), Hirado Kunishige was the preeminent master of the Hirado school, though the stylistic diversity of his signatures suggests he may have overseen a highly productive workshop or atelier rather than working solely as an individual artisan [[2]](https://www.mandarinmansion.com/glossary/hirado-kunishige). His work represents the quintessential expression of the *Nanban* (foreign) aesthetic, characterized by a sophisticated synthesis of Chinese-style dragons chasing pearls and the exotic, fashionable inclusion of Western-inspired Roman script [[2]](https://www.mandarinmansion.com/glossary/hirado-kunishige) [[14]](https://www.legacyswords.com/portfolio/kunishige-kozuka/). Utilizing primarily brass and copper alloys, Kunishige employed deep, precise carving often enhanced by green patination in the recesses, gold inlay, and, in rare masterworks, vibrant cloisonné enamel [[2]](https://www.mandarinmansion.com/glossary/hirado-kunishige). Lauded as "first-class" in the 1781 *Sōken Kishō*, his innovative style significantly influenced major Kyoto schools such as Ichinomiya Nagatsune, and his finest extant pieces are highly prized by modern collectors, with select examples achieving *Juyō* status from the NBTHK [[2]](https://www.mandarinmansion.com/glossary/hirado-kunishige).