Kozan Ⅱ

[ca. 1917(taisho 6) - ca. 1940(showa 15)]

Hannosuke, who succeeded to Miyagawa Kozan II later, was a son of Kozan I’s elder brother, Chohei. Hannosuke was adopted by Kozan I after Chohei’s death. When Kozan I moved to Yokohama in 1870, Hannosuke went along with Kozan I, and he created ware together from an early age. Takauki-ware items created in the beginning of the Meiji period include many works with inscriptions of Hannosuke’s pseudonym, ‘Hanzan’, which means that Hannosuke had already started to act as Kozan I’s right-hand man from when he was about 20 years old. When World Expositions were held in foreign countries, Hannosuke actively visited the local ware workshops on behalf of Kozan I.
In July, 1917, one year after Kozan I passed away, Miyagawa Hannosuke exhibited his latest works with several tens of Kozan I’s works as he succeeded to Kozan II. The sprit and technique of Kozan I were firmly inherited by Kozan II and also Kozan III after Kozan II died.
On May 29, 1945, however, the great fire due to the bombing in the central area of Yokohama City took lives of Kozan III, his family and employees of the workshop, which forced the Makuzu workshop to be closed. Although Tomonosuke, the younger brother of Kozan III, named himself as Kozan IV and tried to recover the workshop, it was extremely difficult in the postwar years when people were lacking even food. The Makuzu workshop finally ended its history.