The pride of Sasebo, Mikawachi Pottery has a history that goes back almost 400 years and is designated as Japan's traditional work of art. At the end of the 16th century, the 26th Lord Hirado, Shigenobu Matsuura brought home potters including Koseki from the Korean Peninsula. However, since it was not possible to obtain the soil suitable for white porcelain in Hirado, Koseki and his son Sannojo Imamura traveled in search of the porcelain stone for producing quality porcelain clay, and Mikawachi was the place where they settled down. As luxury items for gifts, items of Hirado continued to be produced by Mikawachi Pottery. As the Hirado Clan's favorite potter since that time, Hirado’s sophisticated molding and glazing techniques were developed.

A new design called karakoyaki, which consisted of Chinese boys (karako) chasing butterflies against a background of pine trees and peonies, became a trademark motif for Hirado ware. At first it was restricted to presentation pieces for other daimyo or for the emperor's court. It is believed that in the beginning the specific number of karako shown on a given piece was carefully prescribed: seven for a presentation piece to the shogun or emperor, five for a piece given to a daimyo or a high official within the Hirado government, and, later, three for all other pieces. The practice has precedents in Chinese culture; for example, if a robe was embroidered with the image of a dragon, the number of claws on the dragon signified the courtly rank of the wearer.