Mishima ware refers to a group of Korean and Japanese ceramics characterized by delicate inlay decoration, typically filled with white slip against a darker clay body. The style traces its origin to Korean Buncheong (분청사기, buncheong sagi) ware of the 15th century during the early Joseon dynasty. In Korea, potters developed a range of slip-inlay techniques, impressing or incising patterns into dried clay and filling them with contrasting white slip before glazing and firing. These works balanced spontaneity and refinement, even though they were produced from materials viewed as inferior to porcelain, namely the more affordable dark clay bodies available locally at the time.

In the end of 16th century, many Korean potters were taken to Japan as captives, as the result of the Imjin War. Their presence led to significant advancements in Japanese ceramic technology, including improvements in kiln design, stoneware formulation, glaze chemistry, and surface-decoration techniques. These artisans played an essential role in shaping new ceramic lineages—most notably in Karatsu (唐津) and Hagi (萩)—where potters blended Korean inlay methods with local clay and glaze traditions.

Mishima decoration involves a multistage process of inlay (zōgan, 象嵌; sanggam, 상감). After forming the vessel, the potter incises or stamps the surface with motifs—geometric, floral, or calligraphic—and fills the recesses with a fine white slip. Once the surface dries slightly, it is scraped back to reveal the pale designs embedded in the darker body beneath. The piece is then glazed, often with a transparent or celadon-like glaze, and fired in oxidation or reduction depending on regional practice. This method produces a distinctive sense of depth, as the glaze pools faintly within the recessed motifs, emphasizing their edges.

Culturally, Mishima occupies a space of dialogue between ceramic traditions in Korea and Japan. Contemporary potters in Japan continue to look to Joseon Buncheong ware as a pinnacle of expressive ceramic practice. Although Mishima has become an important part of Japan’s ceramic identity over several centuries, its roots in Korean inlay practice remain unmistakable. Increasingly, it is understood as an intercultural tradition shaped by historical contact and mutual influence.