Japanese Pottery

Japanese PotteryThe Beginning

Jomon "cord-mark,"

Japanese pottery dates back to 13000 BCE

The photo shows a Jomon style pottery. In Japanese, the word "Jomon" means "cord-mark,“

The Jomon tradition is the name given to hunter-gatherer cultures in Japan from about 13,000 to 2500 years ago.

Jomon ceramics are identified by patterns of lines applied onto a bag-shaped vessel. Later, highly decorated vessels were also manufactured by the Jomon peoples.

Some of the styles of Japanese pottery

• Arita-yaki - Introduced by Korean potters at the beginning of Edo Period.

• Bizen-yaki - Peculiar to Okayama. Reddish brown pottery, which is believed to have originated in sixth century

• Hagi-yaki - Peculiar to Yamaguchi. Since burned at relatively low temperature, it is fragile and transmits warmth of the content quickly

• Karatsu-yaki -. Began in sixteenth century. Greatly influenced by Korean potters

• Kutani-yaki - Peculiar to Ishikawa

• Mino-yaki - Peculiar to Gifu

• Raku-yaki - Peculiar to Kyoto.

• Karatsu.’ Traditionally believed to be the best kind.

• Ryumonji-yaki - Peculiar to Kagoshima. Started by Korean potters about four hundred years ago

• Seto-yaki - Peculiar to Aichi. Seto-yaki (or Seto-mono) stands for all the Japanese potteries. The largest quantity of Japanese pottery

• Shigaraki-yaki - Peculiar to Shiga. One of the oldest style in Japan. Famous for pottery of raccoon dog

• Souma-yaki - Peculiar to Fukushima. Image of a horse is the main pattern

• Tamba-yaki - Peculiar to Hyogo . Also called Tatekui-yaki. One of the six oldest kinds in Japan

• Tokoname-yaki - Peculiar to Aichi . Most of them are flower vases, rice bowls, teacup

Japanese Pottery Brief overview

                                                                                                                                  

Each period of time produced its own characteristic pottery and kilns. The earliest woodfired ware consisted of simple, functional and everyday utensils, made by farmers. These were mostly undecorated pots with natural ash glaze and markings from the flame. As the fabrication of these farmer-potter utensils became specialized. more artistic effects, markings, and gestures came to characterize the vessels.

It was the essential simplicity and everyday nature of the pots and bowls, as well as their irregularity, that caught the attention of the Tea Masters. With their incorporation into the Tea Ceremony, these humble ceramics emerged as true objects of art, to become a highly valued by collectors   

Japanese Pottery Satsuma Style Decorations

Japanese Pottery Okinawa Ryukyu Vase

Japanese Pottery Raku style

Raku is a unique ceramic firing process.  Glaze formulas often contain a lot of copper.  A raku piece is brought to approximately 1800F to 2000 degrees in a short period of time where the glaze mature.  

The piece is carefully removed, with long tongs, and placed in a trash can of leaves sawdust and paper which ignite by the heat of the piece. 

The lid is placed on the can and is left to smolder causing a loss of oxygen which affects the copper in the glaze.

The result is a wide range of colors on the surface of the piece.  No two pieces are alike.  

Japanese Pottery NUNOBIKIAKI Wall Hanging

Japanese Pottery Meiji Period, Signed Juzan

Japanese Pottery Satsuma

Satsuma earthenware is identified by its cream colored body and crackled glaze. The overglaze enamel and gold decoration is thickly applied and the designs are derived from nature.

This Kyoto Satsuma style developed as a response to the Western market.

The products of Kyoto often show a lighter creamy-white body whereas the Satsuma from Kyushu bears a somewhat darker tone and stronger crackle lines in the glaze.

SATSUMA