IWAO JIKI Kogyo Co., Ltd.

IWAO JIKI Kogyo Co., Ltd. (岩尾磁器工業株式会社) is a Japanese ceramics manufacturer headquartered in Arita, a town in Nishimatsuura District, Saga Prefecture, long celebrated as one of Japan's historic porcelain centers. The company operates at the intersection of industrial materials and craft ceramics, describing itself as pursuing two pillars: an industrial materials division that develops advanced technical ceramics, and a craft materials division that creates spatial and cultural products. Its corporate slogan, as stated on its website, is to contribute to environmental purification and the beautification of daily life. The company's best-known industrial line is acid-resistant porcelain (耐酸磁器), developed in response to the rise of Japan's chemical industry in the early Showa era. According to the company, it identified the acid resistance of Arita Izumiyama pottery stone and built a leading position in this niche, becoming known domestically and internationally as "Iwao of acid-resistant porcelain." From this base it expanded into water-treatment-related products, catalyst carriers, and new ceramics, applying its ceramic technology to environmental and chemical-process applications. A second major business is building materials, particularly high-grade porcelain tiles. The company states that after World War II it began producing architectural tiles under the concept of wrapping buildings in the character of Arita porcelain, marketed as "Iwao's high-grade tiles" and used in famous buildings in Japan and abroad. A third area is landscape and craft ceramics, including the Iwao Taizan Kiln (岩尾對山窯), which produces relief wall panels, interior items, and outdoor garden ware, extending the aesthetic qualities of fired porcelain into architectural and living spaces. The company's product families referenced on its website include chemical industrial machinery (化工機), tiles, "Becera" (ベセラ), and reliefs. Its leadership has been associated with the Iwao family; the company's message is signed by Representative Director and Chairman Keiichi Iwao (岩尾慶一). The firm presents itself as development-first and customer-first, with a philosophy centered on continuous self-reform and sincere service. IWAO JIKI Kogyo remains an active private company based in Arita, serving both industrial customers in chemical, water-treatment, and environmental fields and architectural and design customers seeking porcelain tiles and ceramic art products. Its website provides company information, product sections for chemical industrial porcelain, water-treatment environmental equipment, ceramic landscape materials, and the Iwao Taizan Kiln, along with an English-language page.

IWAO JIKI Kogyo Co., Ltd. is based in Arita, Saga Prefecture, Japan, a town historically associated with Japanese porcelain production. The company's own account of its development, presented on its website as a history of application development, describes two main pillars: industrial materials and craft materials. The industrial side of the business traces to the early Showa era, when Japan's chemical industry was expanding. The company focused on the acid resistance of Arita Izumiyama pottery stone and developed acid-resistant porcelain. According to its corporate message, over roughly fifty years of operation in this field it achieved the largest share and became known domestically and internationally as "Iwao of acid-resistant porcelain." This technical foundation later supported expansion into water-treatment-related products, catalyst carriers, and new ceramics, areas the company describes as matching the needs of the times and drawing on its distinctive history and technology. After World War II, the company moved into building materials, producing architectural tiles. Its stated concept was to wrap buildings in the character of Arita porcelain, and these products were marketed as "Iwao's high-grade tiles," used in famous buildings in Japan and abroad. This tile business connected the company's porcelain expertise to architecture and construction. A further extension came in the landscape and craft ceramics field through the Iwao Taizan Kiln (岩尾對山窯). This division produces reliefs for wall decoration, interior items, and outdoor garden ware, applying the qualities of fired ceramics to living and spatial environments under the idea of bringing richness and comfort into daily life. The company's website lists product areas including chemical industrial porcelain, water-treatment environmental equipment, ceramic landscape materials, and the Iwao Taizan Kiln, alongside company information, a philosophy statement, an overview, a history of application development, business style, and a guide to Arita. The corporate message is signed by Representative Director and Chairman Keiichi Iwao, who emphasizes continuous self-reform, development, and a customer-first, sincere approach. The company describes itself as maintaining a unique position in fields such as chemical machinery, tiles, Becera, and reliefs, and as pursuing the slogan of contributing to environmental purification and the beautification of daily life.

• Developed acid-resistant porcelain in response to the early Showa-era rise of Japan's chemical industry, focusing on the acid resistance of Arita Izumiyama pottery stone.

• Built a leading position in acid-resistant porcelain over roughly fifty years, becoming known as "Iwao of acid-resistant porcelain" in Japan and abroad.

• After World War II, entered building materials with high-grade porcelain tiles marketed as "Iwao's high-grade tiles."

• Expanded into water-treatment-related products, catalyst carriers, and new ceramics.

• Established the Iwao Taizan Kiln (岩尾對山窯) for reliefs, interior items, and outdoor garden ware.

A development-first Arita ceramics maker combining industrial technical ceramics (acid-resistant porcelain, water treatment, catalyst carriers) with high-grade architectural tiles and craft/landscape ceramics, positioned around environmental purification and the beautification of daily life.

• Acid-resistant porcelain

  Industrial porcelain developed for chemical-industry applications, based on the acid resistance of Arita Izumiyama pottery stone.

• Chemical industrial machinery (化工機)

  Chemical-process equipment in the company's industrial materials division.

• Water-treatment environmental equipment

  Environmental equipment for water treatment, an extension of the company's ceramic technology.

• Catalyst carriers

  Ceramic catalyst carriers developed for industrial and environmental applications.

• New ceramics

  Advanced ceramic products matching contemporary needs.

• High-grade porcelain tiles

  Architectural tiles marketed as "Iwao's high-grade tiles," used in famous buildings in Japan and abroad.

• Becera (ベセラ)

  A product family referenced among the company's fields of unique position.

• Ceramic reliefs

  Relief panels for wall decoration produced by the landscape/craft division.

• Landscape ceramics and garden ware

  Outdoor garden ware and landscape materials from the Iwao Taizan Kiln.

1. 1岩尾磁器工業株式会社 (official website homepage)iwao.co.jp
2. 2岩尾磁器工業株式会社 — 会社案内iwao.co.jp
3. 3IWAO JIKI Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Japan) — Wikidatawikidata.org