Sumida

Sumida is a Japanese pottery that was made from about 1895 to 1941. Pieces are usually everyday objects-vases, jardinieres, bowls, teapots, and decorative tiles. Most pieces have a very heavy orange-red, blue, brown, black, green, purple, or off-white glaze, with raised three-dimensional figures as decorations. The unglazed part is painted red, green, black, or orange. Sumida is sometimes called Sumida gawa, but true Sumida gawa is a softer pottery made in the early 1800s. Sumida is also mistakenly called Poo Ware, supposedly after a similar pottery made by a Chinese potter named Poo You-she. For more information, explore our identification guides for Sumida, Sumida gawa, and other Japanese pottery and porcelain.