A MONUMENTAL PAIR OF 18TH CENTURY JAPANESE EDO PERIOD COUNTRY HOUSE IMARI VASES AND COVERS painted with landscapes, bold Buddhistic lions upon a rich blue, gold and red ground. 90 cm x 37 cm. Note: Mari porcelain can be Chinese or European in origin, but was first created in Japan. In 1616, the town of Arita became Japan's porcelain production centre because it was near Izumiyama, a quarry rich in kaolin clay. The wares were then shipped to the West from the port of Imari, hence the name.