A Comparative Study of the Use of Japanese Majolica Tiles in Modern Japan and Japanese Colonial Taiwan

Abstract

This paper discussed the connection between “Japanese majolica tiles” in modern Japan and Japanese colonial Taiwan, and the differences in the way tiles are used during these periods from both Japanese and Taiwanese perspectives. Japanese majolica tiles were manufactured in Japan primarily during the Taisho period (1912-1926) and early Showa period (1926-1945), with relief surfaces covered with multicolored lead glazes. The tiles produced in Japan at that time were mainly imitations and developments of a Victorian tile product called majolica, which was imported from England and exported to countries around the world. The results of the survey indicate differences in the use of tiles, with their usage in different architectural styles and cultures becoming apparent. In Japan, the connection between tiles and modern concepts can be noted. In addition, post-modern tile production and architectural preservation suggest that differences in the amount of extant Japanese majolica tiles in Japan and Taiwan have arisen.