The First National Industrial Exposition Newly invented Makuzu ware

“New Invention: Makuzu Ware – My ceramic works, Makuzu ware, will be on display at the National Industrial Exhibition scheduled to be held in Ueno Park.
I will, at your request, copy your drawing, for example, a landscape or bamboo grove painting, exactly as it is onto an earthenware containing the earth of the Shinobazu Pond (in the park), and create a piece of Makuzu ware, which I newly developed, in about 20 minutes and make it ready for your purchase. At your request of more sophisticated ceramics (pottery fired in the official kiln) or porcelain, the piece can be refined in about two weeks to meet your needs.
I will greatly appreciate, in advance, the visit of my valued customers to the exhibition.
Potter: Kozan Miyagawa, Nishiota, Yokohama”
(“Kanayomi” small newspaper, No. 448, August 20, 1877)

The above is the “advertisement” placed by the first Kozan Miyagawa at the time of the first National Industrial Exhibition in 1877.
It was a novel idea that a pottery containing the earth of the Shinobazu Pond with a desired design would be fired and completed in 20 minutes. He was also shrewd about the advertising strategy and placed the same ad four times on August 15, 18, 20, and 27 in 1877.
The exhibitions in those days were not only for exhibiting works but also for selling them. You may sense the abundance of creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of Kozan, also from his works presented here.