Japanese Pottery

Japanese Pottery

　　Japanese pottery is originally produced in Japan, offering a comfortable tactile feel and a diverse range of stylish designs. Some pieces feature vibrant colors, others classic elegance, and some exude refined sophistication. Among Japanese pottery, there are varieties such as Mino-yaki, Tsuboya-yaki, and Shigaraki-yaki, all crafted by hand.

　　The development of KUTANI Japanese ceramics has a history of over five hundred years, from the Eikyo era to the Showa period. The ceramic industry has continued to evolve, with techniques advancing steadily, some even reaching very high levels of craftsmanship.

　　Bizen-yaki is a type of pottery produced in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, specifically in the Imbe district of Wake County, dating back to the Kamakura period. Alongside Seto-yaki and Shigaraki-yaki, it is considered one of Japan’s oldest surviving kilns. Like Shigaraki-yaki, its most distinctive feature is the unglazed firing process, giving it a slightly reddish-brown, unglazed surface texture that has been a hallmark of Bizen-yaki since ancient times.

　　Similar to Shigaraki-yaki and Nanban-yaki, Bizen-yaki reveals its naturally bright and beautiful qualities when pre-wetted before a tea ceremony. This characteristic of becoming more beautiful after being watered is truly rare. The greatest contributors to reviving the charm of traditional Bizen-yaki were the late Jinshu Touyou and Fujiwara Kei, both designated as Living National Treasures. Their legacy is carried on by outstanding artisans like Yamamoto Touhaku, who continue to create more exceptional works in Imbe to this day.