The Hizen region of Kyūshū was the center of early porcelain production in Japan. Although many designs and wares made in Kyūshū were intended for export, works of Hizen ware known as the Nabeshima type were commissioned by the Nabeshima clan and produced at an exclusive kiln. A dish like this example would have been part of a dining service. These sets were frequently sent to the shogun in Edo (Tokyo) as an annual tribute. The cheerful design of jars on this dish features the bold, luminous colors and exacting standards characteristic of the high-quality porcelains produced at the Nabeshima kiln.