SATSUMA WARE IS EARTHENWARE POTTERY WITH A SOFT, OFF-WHITE CRACKLE GLAZE. THE PIECES ARE INTRICATELY PAINTED USING MANY BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL COLORS AND THEN HEIGHTENED WITH GOLD. ONE OF THE RESULTS OF THE INVASIONS BY TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI OF KOREA IN THE 16TH. CENTURY, IS THAT PRINCE SHIMAZU OF THE SATSUMA DOMAIN IN SOUTHERN KYUSHU CAPTURED AND BROUGHT BACK WITH HIM TO JAPAN SKILLED, KOREAN CRAFTSMEN WHO KNEW THE SECRETS OF MAKING WONDERFUL CERAMICS. IT IS TO THESE FINE KOREAN CRAFTSMEN AND THE DEDICATION OF LOCAL ARTISANS WHO FOLLOWED, THAT WE OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE. IN THESE DESIGNS, YOU CAN SEE THE BEAUTIFUL AND INCOMPARABLE LANDSCAPES OF KYUSHU; ELEGANT FIGURES OF LADIES, GENTLEMEN AND CHILDREN; AND, A PROFUSION OF TREES AND FLOWERS. SATSUMA WARE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE WEST BY MEMBERS OF THE SHIMAZU FAMILY AT THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF PARIS IN 1867. EUROPEANS FELL IN LOVE WITH ITS DECORATIVE APPEAL, AND THEREAFTER, A GREAT DEMAND FOR THIS POTTERY EMERGED. EZRA CHOUEKE HAD A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR CERAMICS. HE HAD CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH THE CRAFTSMEN OF SATSUMA AND ARITA WITH WHOM HE ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS AS EARLY AS MID-1930s. ALSO, HE WAS VERY FRIENDLY WITH THE MANAGEMENT AT NORITAKE, IN NAGOYA, AICHI PREFECTURE, WHO GRACIOUSLY GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE THE PRIZE-WINNING PORCELAIN WARE SET THAT YOU CAN NOW SEE ON THE DINING ROOM TABLE. SINCE WE HAVE HAD SEVERE EARTHQUAKES IN KOBE, MOST OF THE COLLECTION IS KEPT IN STORAGE. WE HAVE LOST SOME MAJOR PIECES, SO WE MUST BE CAREFUL. THOSE THAT REMAIN ARE PROTECTED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.