Travel Date: November 16, 2015
Noritake, a known brand of tableware.
In 1876, Ichizaemon Morimura VI and his brother Toyo founded Morimura Gumi with the intent of establishing overseas trading by a Japanese company. By 1878, Toyo had established a business in New York selling Japanese antiques and other goods, including pottery. The company was renamed Morimura Brothers in 1881.
In 1904, key members of this trading company created the Nippon Toki Kaisha, Ltd. ("the Company that makes Japan's Finest China") in Japan.[4] A new factory was built in Noritake, near Nagoya (now Noritake-shinmachi, Nishi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi). In 1914 the company succeeded in creating their first Western style dinner set, called "Sedan", to compete with European porcelain companies. This forerunner of the modern Noritake Company was founded in the village of Noritake, a small suburb near Nagoya, Japan. Today, many collectors agree that the best examples of “Nippon-era” (1891–1921) hand painted porcelain carry a back stamp used by "Noritake" during the Nippon era. [Reference]
Access:
From Exit 2 of Kamejima Station on the Higashiyama Subway Line (5-minute walk)
Turn left (eastward) immediately after coming out of Exit 2. Go under the elevated Shinkansen tracks, then take a left turn at the second traffic signal of Wanouchi-cho. The visitor’s entrance is located about 50 meters ahead on the left (East Gate).