Born in Osaka, the son of a painter, Yabu Meizan (real name: Masashichi) studied the art of painting in Tokyo for six months in 1880 before returning to Osaka to open his own painting studio. At that time, in the latter half of the 19th century, production of Satsuma porcelain was flourishing in various regions, led by Chinjukan in Kagoshima, Kinkozan in Kyoto, and Seikozan in Kobe, and with Japan’s participation in the World Expositions through its national policy, Satsuma porcelain was already attracting attention under the name “SATSUMA”.In such a situation, Meizan did not produce the base material, but worked on research of various techniques and designs, including the development of copperplate printing for underglaze painting, and succeeded in incorporating his own unique and exquisite techniques into his style. The Meizan Studio, which pursued only the art of painting, has always been unrivaled in the careful production of detailed, high-quality works, and continues to receive numerous awards and accolades as the best of Satsuma, and is still highly regarded around the world today.

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【Awards at Expositions】

1889 World’s Fair in Paris

1893 Chicago World’s Fair

1900 World’s Fair in Paris

1904 St. Louis World’s Fair

1905 Portland World’s Fair

1910 World’s Fair in London

1915 San Francisco World’s Fair

【Domestic and International Locations】

Ashmorean Museum (UK)

British Museum (UK)

Victoria & Albert Museum (U.K.)

Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA

The Walters Art Museum (USA)

San Antonio Museum of Art, U.S.A.

Powerhouse Museum of Art (Australia)

Osaka Museum of History, Japan