Japanese museums can be a bit hit and miss. There are some very good museums that present really good collections of artefacts or artworks. Even better if they have explanations in English too. At the other end of the spectrum sometimes Japanese museums can have little of interest and are more of an excuse to put some “local old stuff” on display somewhere. The latter remind me of some of the museums I came across in Argentina years ago. The city museum would have collections of furniture and old record players that were owned by the first mayor of the city.

Anyhow, quite some time back I went to the Museum of Eastern Ceramics and, although being a bit on the pricey side, it fell into the former category with a well organised exhibition of Korean Pottery (Goryeo Celadon). This type of pottery was “rediscovered” by the Japanese during the annexation of Korea at the turn of the last century. A lot of the pottery was collected by rich Japanese people and there was an industry in Japan copying the ideas and creating new works based on the collected works. One thing I will say is that generally Japanese people like their pottery.

The first part of the exhibition focussed on the new Japanese works such as this melon shaped ewer.

And this dish.

It then moved onto the original Korean work. I found this to be far more attractive in terms of style. This set of boxes was nice.

I think the birds on this vase are supposed to be waterfowl.