During the Edo period, pottery was generally protected by each domain. In particular, those pieces that became domain kilns and were forbidden to be sold on the market were not only for the demand of the domain lord, but were also presented to the shogunate or given as gifts to other domains. The most famous examples, with the exception of Raku ware, which was occasionally made for the sake of comfort, are as follows. The following are some of the most famous examples, with the exception of the occasional comfort ware of Raku ware: Shimazu’s Tateno Kiln (Satsuma ware), Matsuura’s Mikawachi Kiln (Hirado ware), Kuroda’s Takatori ware, Owari’s Omukai ware, Todo’s Marubashira Kiln (Todo Iga), Nabeshima’s Okawachi Kiln (Nabeshima ware), Kairakuen ware by the Kishu princes, and Ii’s Koto ware. Many other kilns were operated at clan expense. The shogunate did not establish separate pottery kilns, but in the Genroku period (1688-1704), at the recommendation of Katagiri Ishu, the shogunate invited the potter Takahara Tohei from Settsu Province (Osaka Prefecture), gave him a one-machi square lot in front of Asakusa Honganji Temple (Taito Ward) and had him make tea bowls (Takahara ware or Asakusa ware), and occasionally selected tea bowl makers. He sometimes chose a master teacup maker, as described in the “Bu-kan”.
