Karatsu-Yaki full of variety !!

Posted on 2016/06/18 by mikio

One of the famed pottery is Karatsu-Yaki in Kyushu area. On the end of 16th century, many Korean potters came over to Japan, which was epoch-making event for development of Japanese pottery and porcelain. Karatsu-Yaki was not exception in this case. There are many unique decoration styles, Chosen (Korean) Karatsu, E (Picture) Karatsu, Madara (Spotted) Karatsu, Dakatsu(Snake skin) Karatsu, Mishima(Inlayed decoration) and so on.
Tea ceremony was another factor to develop Karatsu-Yaki technology- and production-wise. In the world of tea, it was said that preferable tea bowl would be “Ichi Raku (No.1 was Kyo-Yaki), Ni Hagi (No.2 was Hagi-Yaki) and San Karatsu (No.3 was Karatsu-Yaki).
We can enjoy other traditional culture like the Karatsu Kunchi Festival and sight-seeing spots like the Karatsu castle in additon to the pottery in Karatsu city.

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Echizen-Yaki pottery and bamboo dolls !!

Posted on 2016/06/05 by mikio

Echizen-Yaki is one of the well-known potteries in Japan. The three-days pottery festival was held with 60 potters participated on the end of May. Many visitors enjoyed the festival to see and to bargain about their favorite pottery products.
This area is famous for Take Ningyo, or bamboo dolls as well. The tourists can see sophisticated bamboo craft and its producing process at the Echizen Take Ningyo no Yakata (or center). They can buy bamboo dolls here as the matter of course.

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Tableware Festival in Tokyo !

Posted on 2016/02/11 by mikio

One of the biggest ceramics festivals in Japan was held at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo from January 31 to February 8,2016. We can enjoy national-wide striking pottery and porcelain at one place. Since the event was “Tableware Festival”, almost all the visitors are females who have an interest in tableware for everyday use.
Here were many exhibitions of lacquer-ware which is another Japanese traditional craft products.
This is opportunity for us to meet many potters who have got to know each other.

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Ryumonji-Yaki (one of Satsuma-Yaki family) !

Posted on 2016/01/27 by mikio

Satsuma-Yaki is traditional pottery produced in Kagoshima Prefecture. One of the features is wide variety of its style. Genealogy-wide, there are Tateno, Ryumonji and Naechirogawa systems. It is originated by Koreans under Shimazu clan about 400 years ago.
This climbing kiln is preserved as a site of historical kiln of Ryumonji-Yaki. There are two family who are actively producing traditional and unique pottery of Ryumonji-Yaki.
Photo : Old kiln, Jirota-Gama showroom and Samehada (shark skin) sake cup

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Production center of Kasama-Yaki !

Posted on 2015/09/23 by mikio

Kasama-Yaki is one of “ Traditional Craft Products” designated by the Japanese Government. It started in the middle of the Edo period(1600-1868). Since the location is near Tokyo (previously Edo), a big market, it has been developed as a supply center of kitchen utensils. Compared with other pottery production areas, Kasama-Yaki is referred as “No feature is a feature of Kasama”at the present. On the contrary, it is full of unique and striking pottery due to many challenging potters moved in the area.
Kasama Inari Jinjya (shrine) is another famed touring spot, which is known as one of the three largest Inari shrines in Japan.
(Photo : one of Kasama-Yaki galleries with a clock tower and Kasama-Inari)

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Nostalgic Japanese Izakaya (tavern) !

Posted on 2015/08/08 by mikio

Izakaya, tavern in Japanese style is very popular for enjoying good drinks and food, and chat with friends and working associate. Sake, Shochu and its cocktail, beer for drink and Sashimi(raw fish), Tempura of fried fish and vegetables and many Japanese cuisine for food. Prices are very reasonable and an atmosphere is at home.
This Izakaya has a nostalgic air with various antiques and a large painting on a papered sliding door painted by the former shop master. On top of the decoration, the izakaya carry many variation of sake selected from the famed sake brewing areas.

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The northern-most pottery, Tsugaru Kanayama-Yaki

Posted on 2015/07/13 by mikio

Tsugaru Kanayama-Yaki is the northern-most pottery producing center in the Japan main land. It is rather new pottery established by Mr. Matsukawa at Goshogawara, Aomori 30 years ago. The pottery is produced by a group of many young potters uniquely in Japan. There are many kilns such as climbing kiln, hole kiln and the like in the big construction which is like a casting or forging factory. In this sense, it is unique.
Accordingly, the feature of products are unglazed pottery with interesting variety.

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Traditional pottery of Kanazawa !

Posted on 2015/06/17 by mikio

In Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) which is one of the popular sight seeing areas in Japan, there is Ohi-Yaki, traditional pottery with its long history. Nearly 350 years ago, the 5th lord of Kaga Domain, Maeda Tsunanori invited potters from Kyoto. Since then, the Ohi family has made pottery for the Maeda clan across many generation.
Ohi-Yaki is soft to the touch due to its characteristic “Ameyu”, or caramel brown glaze.
(Photo : A galley of the Original Ohi Kiln and a typical sake cup)
There is the Oyama Shrine nearby, which has an unique shrine gate in a western style in addition to the Japanese style.

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Festival of Traditional Echizen-Yaki !

Posted on 2015/05/30 by mikio

Echizen-Yaki is one of the “Six Old kilns” , with a history dating back many centuries. The feature is its simple shapes and natural texture of the clay by firing unglazed in general. However, we can enjoy various ware fired with many variety of glazes these days.
On the end of May, “Echizen Togei Matsuri (ceramics Festival)” is held in the Echizen Ceramics Village, situated in a center of the Echizen-Yaki producing areas. Potters more than 60 display and sell their boastful products there. It is fun to meet and chat with potters who were got acquainted with before.

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Onta-Yaki, the earlist remembered scene !

Posted on 2015/05/21 by mikio

Onta-Yaki is a quite unique pottery production village in terms of tradition and location. Only 10 potters’ family have handed the know-how of an art down from generation to generation within the family for more than 300 years. In addition, the village have kept un-modernized, meaning that they are still using water-powered mills (Karausu, or mortar) for clay making and pine for firing in climbing kilns. We feel the scenery between mountains at home.
The pottery made here are in folk craft styles, decorated with “Tobikanna”, or jumping marks, “Uchihakeme”, or tapping brush marks and the like, and applied with traditional straw ash-, iron- and celadon glazes..