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2023.04.20
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History of Pottery in Japan
From the time we wake up in the morning to the time we go to bed at night, we spend our days using a large number of tableware for different purposes. But how did those dishes come to be what they are today?
In this column, we will introduce the history of pottery.
Table of Contents
1. The Beginning of Pottery
2. Development of Japanese Pottery Industry
3. From Practical Goods to Ornamental
4. Appearance of Porcelain
5. Current Pottery Production
The Beginning of Pottery
Early humans had no connection with ceramic tableware. It is said that the leaves of plants were used as table ware like some parts of Southeast Asia countries does today.
It is said that pottery was made to store surplus food and water that when people started farming and civilization began. The earliest pottery started out as an extensive form of pottery, which was made by kneading and molding clay and firing it at a low temperature to harden it. I think you all know that Jomon pottery has been made in Japan since the Jomon period about 10,000 years ago.
After that, the kiln was improved, the firing temperature increased, and the strength of the pottery also increased.
Around the 5th century, a type of ascending kiln, called anagama, was brought to Japan from the Korean peninsula. The pottery called Sueki made in that kiln became a practical item that was widely used by the common people for a long time.
In addition, the introduction of glaze (Yuyaku) further improved the usability of pottery. By applying glaze and firing, a thin layer of glass is created on the surface of the pottery. Until that, Sueki had a problem with high water absorption, but the introduction of glaze has dramatically improved the water retention capacity of pottery.
The earliest glaze is called ash glaze, which is literally made by dissolving the ash of burned plants in water. Some of the ash that adhered to the ceiling and sides of the kiln that had been used many times fell down on the pottery, and after firing, it became glassy, so it is imagined that he came up with the glaze. Even today, you can still feel the texture of Shigaraki yaki which is traditionally made using firewood.
Development of Japanese Pottery Industry
Attempts were made to produce pottery in various parts of Japan. However, production was gradually began to be concentrated in areas where high-quality clay was produced. Around the Kamakura period, six pottery production areas called “Rokkoyo” bacame famous. Many of these production areas are still prosperous as pottery production areas.
Six Ancient Kilns
・Echizen (Oda Town, Fukui Prefecture)
・Seto (Seto City, Aichi Prefecture)
・Tokoname (Chita Peninsula, Aichi Prefecture)
・Shigaraki (Shigaraki Town, Shiga Prefecture)
・Bizen (Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture)
・Tanba (Taki District, Hyogo Prefecture)
From Practical Goods to Ornamental
Starting with Sueki, pottery has long been treated as a practical item in Japan, but there was a person who changed that history. The name of the person is Oribe Furuta, a Sengoku warlord in the Azuchi-Momoyama period. At that time, tea ceremony was beginning to become popular, and Oribe Furuta studied under Sen no Rikyu, the founder of the tea ceremony, though he was a military commander in the Sengoku period. After Rikyu’s death, he came to lead the world of tea ceremony. By intentionally distorting the molded tableware, he brought a sense of fun to the practical tableware. He also devised glazes to create vessels in various shades of red and green, elevating tableware to the level of ornamental use. It can be said that Oribe Furuta started the culture of the rich colors of Japanese pottery up to the present day. The deep green glaze is still widely known as “Oribe ware”, named after Oribe Furuta.
Appearance of Porcelain
Porcelain is a part of pottery that is made by crushing feldspar and silica into clay, molding it, and firing it at a high temperature. Compared to other pottery, it has almost no water permeability because it is closer to glass than pottery. Most of all, it is characterized by its white fabric, which has made it a useful material for various decorative paintings.
It has been produced in Jingdezhen since ancient times in China. But a Korean potter who has brought when the time of dispatched troops to Korea by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, discovered pottery stone which is suitable for porcelains in Kushu Imari.
From the late Edo period to the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods, Japanese ceramics were exported all over the world and played a role in the development of Japan.
Current Pottery Production
The Japanese pottery industry has taken the world by storm, but since the 1990s, Chinese manufacturers have emerged and the world market has become completely dominated by Chinese products. On the other hand, Japanese pottery makers are still actively producing products that are not only practical, but also highly tasteful, taking advantage of the characteristics of each production area.
The production areas and their characteristics that are currently famous are as follows.
・Mino ware (Tajimi City, Toki City, Mizunami City, Gifu Prefecture) Japan’s largest ceramic production area
・Seto ware (Seto City, Aichi Prefecture) One of the six ancient kilns. Famous for novelties such as the beckoning cat
・Tokoname ware (Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture) famous for producing teapots
・Banko ware (Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture) Mainly heat-resistant pottery such as clay pots, but also many teapots and tableware
・Imari ware Arita ware (Arita-cho, Saga Prefecture) famous for its high-quality porcelain
・Hasami ware (Nagasaki Prefecture) Imari and Arita are famous nationwide, but they also make high-quality porcelain.
・Shigaraki ware (Shigaraki Town, Shiga Prefecture), one of the six ancient kilns. The raccoon dog figurine is famous, but they also make vases and tableware.
・Bizen ware (Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture), one of the six ancient kilns. It features a unique texture of yakishime (fired at high temperature without applying glaze).
・Kutani ware (Ishikawa Prefecture) famous for its unique hand-painted decorations
・Kyo ware / Kiyomizu ware (Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture) Like Kutani, traditional high-class ceramics with beautiful hand-painted decorations
・Hagi ware (Yamaguchi Prefecture) Features a unique texture
・Iwami ware (Shimane Prefecture) The taste of traditional folk-craft pottery has been gaining popularity in recent years.
・Mashiko ware (Tochigi Prefecture) Famous for Toge no Kamameshi, but young artists are nurturing their free style.
This column will continue to introduce the characteristics of the pottery of each production area.
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