to the kosho-kaisha, an institution started by Wakai and Matsuo in 1873, with official assistance. Owing to the intelligent patronage of this company, and the impetus given to the ceramic trade by its enterprise, the style of the Tokyo _etsuke_ was much improved and the field of their industry extended. It must be acknowledged, however, that the Tokyo artists often devote their skill to purposes of forgery, and that their imitations, especially of old Satsuma-yaki, are sometimes franked by dealers whose standing should forbid such frauds. In this context it may be mentioned that, of late years, decoration of a remarkably microscopic character has been successfully practised in Kioto, Osaka and Kobe, its originator being Meisan of Osaka. Before dismissing the subject of modern Tokyo ceramics, it may be added that Kato Tomataro, mentioned above in connexion with the manufacture of special glazes, has also been very successful in producing porcelains decorated with blue _sous couverte_ at his factory in the Koishikawa suburb. Modern Wares of Hirado. Higuchi of Hirado is to be classed with ceramists of the new school on account of one ware only, namely, porcelain having translucid decoration, the so-called "grains of rice" of American collectors, designated _hotaru-de_ (firefly style) in Japan. That, however, is an achievement of no small consequence, especially since it had never previously been essayed outside China. The Hirado expert has not yet attained technical skill equal to that of the Chinese. He cannot, like them, cover the greater part of a specimen's surface with a lacework of transparent decoration, exciting wonder that _pâte_ deprived so greatly of continuity could have been manipulated without accident. But his artistic instincts are higher than those of the Chinese, and there is reasonable hope that in time he may excel their best works. In other respects the Hirado factories do not produce wares nearly so beautiful as those manufactured there between 1759 and 1840, when the _Hirado-yaki_ stood at the head of all Japanese porcelain on account of its pure, close-grained _pâte_, its lustrous milk-white glaze, and the soft clear blue of its carefully executed decoration. Ware of Owari.