Kagenobu and the Karatsu Kiln
His eldest son, Shirouemon Kagenobu, was also a master potter like his father. One day, a ronin from Karatsu, Hizen, named Mori Zen’ikumon, came to Kusajiri, and when he saw the poor kiln style in this area, he was very much impressed. Potters from Seto and Satsu heard about the excellent Karatsu kilns and asked to see them, but Kage-nobu was secretive and refused to allow them to do so.
The Karatsu Potters and the Karatsu Kilns
One hurrah, a group of potters from Satsu came to visit Kage-nobu at the beginning of the year, and at the height of the banquet, one of them, Jinbei Matsubara, a man of Taro, climbed over a high wall to visit the secret kiln while going to the toilet. Kage-nobu followed him and his guests fled. From this point on, the Seto and Akazu kilns followed the example of the Karatsu kilns, leading to a revolution in the Ono kiln style. The famous tea caddy from his Heiko kiln is said to have been made during this period.
Shidoro Revival
During the Tensho period, Naito Gorozakumon Kagechu (son of Goro Ukumon Kageyoyo), sister of Kato Kageyoshi, revived Shidoro pottery in Enshu. He was 69 years old when he died on February 6, 1871. He led the local craftsmen in making tea ceremony utensils, and Shidoro became famous for his work. (By the way, the seven Enshu kilns favored by Kobori include Zesho ware from Omi, Ueno ware from Buzen, Asahi ware from Yamashiro, Akahada ware from Yamato, Kosobe ware from Settsu, Takatori ware from Chikuzen, etc.)
Komatsudani ware
In the Tensho era, a Shigaraku potter named Motoyoshi came to Shibuya in Yamashiro and improved and invented glaze according to the old method of Fukakusa pottery. This is called Komatsudani ware or Shibuya ware.
Tamba ware
Tamba ware was created in Tachikui Village, Imada Village, Tamba Province (Taki County) during the Tensho era. (Tea utensils were first made in the Kan’ei period, and those with dozens of threads on the outside were considered rare, and were later referred to as Ko-Tamba.)
Reconstruction of Tokoname
Tokoname ware was revived during the Tensho period. (Formerly, the iron artillery kiln produced hard ceramics called makiyaki, but during the Genroku period, red jars were produced, and after the Kyouho period, tea sets, sake cups, flower vases, etc. were produced under the orders of Yahei Murata, Motokosai’s son, Choshichi Motokosai, who was also a master. Ina Chozaburo invented fire-glazed red-glazed porcelain and white-glazed porcelain in 1791. In the same year, he produced Akai Toyoiru Minami-wakashi. The master craftsman Hachibei Shirakami, 79 years old and a graduate of Tenwa 3, did not use a wheel, but used a fingertip and a bamboo spatula to make elegant masks for the rest of his life. In the Kyouwa era, Koie Fangsuke devised a new kiln and completed stoneware in accordance with the wishes of his son, Fangju. During the Bunsei era (1818-1830), Ina Chozo invented a type of white clay. During the Meiji period, he produced elegant pieces such as the Tosenken Akai Shinroku fire. In later years, earthenware pipes, fire pots, and low-grade export items were actively produced, and the area has become one of the most prominent pottery-making areas in the country.)
Reconstruction of Minato Pottery
During the Tensho Period, Minato Pottery in Sakaiura, Izumi Prefecture, was revived, specializing in the production of roasting stoves. There is an inscription that states that Gyoki, a monk, dared to establish a pottery business in this area by daring the native people to follow the pottery-making method of Gyoki during the Jogakuin era, but the details are not known. (During the Bunka era, Sakai Hiromasa produced red music glaze in a toji style.)
Soshiro Pottery
During the Tensho era (1615-1626) in Kyoto, there was a pottery company named Soshiro-yaki, which produced roasting earthenware. He is said to have been given the best in the world by Hideyoshi.
Imado ware
Imado ware was created in Toshima County, Muso Province, during the Tensho Period. It was originally created by a tribe of the Chiba clan from Shimoso who moved to this area to make earthenware. (In the Jokyo Era, Shirai Shichi began making tea bowls and fire trays. In the Kyoho era, his son Shichi made glazed ware and plastic figures similar to Fushimi dolls, the so-called Imado dolls. In the Kaei era, SAKUNE Jiro was a masterful clay furnace maker. In 1875, Ryosai “Ryosuke” Inoue of Higashitamaen in Seto came to Hashiba-cho and fired porcelain.)
Nagaraku ware
Munein Nishimura, the son of Munein Nishimura, a potter who made vessels for the Nara Kasuga Shrine in Yamato Prefecture (graduated on March 21, Eiroku 1), created Nagaraku ware in the Tensho era. He moved to Sakai, Izumi in later years, but his grandson Zengoro Sozen moved back to Kyoto. (In Bunka era, Zengoro Ryozen’s son Zengoro, while making earthenware for generations, started to make porcelain and painted ancient patterns with gold powder on it. He also made porcelain for the first time, and painted ancient patterns on it with gold powder after painting it red. His son, Zengoro Kazutada, was invited to the Kutani Kiln in Kaga to learn the art of coloring, but later moved to Okazaki, Mikawa.)
Great Buddha tile
In building the Great Buddha Hall at Hohoji Temple in Kyoto, Hideyoshi had Nagatoshi Yamanaka, the guardian of Yamanaka Yamashiro, as his chief magistrate and had him bake roof tiles to be used for the Great Buddha, which was the beginning of the Great Buddha.
Kiln of victory
Around the same year of Tensho 15, Kato Jirozaakomon Kageori (the son of Kanrokuro Kage, the youngest son of Kageharu) established the Kachigama Kiln in Kusiri, Mino.
Gold inscription of Raku
On September 13, 15 Tenseo year, Hideyoshi completed the house of Julaku and ordered Kichiza Koumon Tsunekei, a pupil of Tanaka Chousuke, to bake tea utensils favored by Rikyu, and inscribed the name Raku in gold, in reference to the name of Julaku. The name Raku ware was then used as the name of the tea ceremony, and the law was enforced in the residences of the lords of the Tokugawa shogunate.
The clay used for Raku ware is chalk coated with ochre, which is red in color. The clay was made from gravel from the Kamo River, which was ground and mixed with glaze to make it dark and rich. He succeeded to the second generation of Tsunekei, and his son, Kibei Michiru, was also a master potter.
Koetsu Raku ware
There is another type of pottery called Koetsu Raku ware. Koetsu (Jiro Saburo Kataoka, 81 years old), originally a connoisseur of swords, learned the tea ceremony from Shigekatsu Furuta and made sublime red Raku wares at Takagamine outside of Kyoto according to Chousuke’s style. Other names such as Seteba Koetsu, Zensho Koetsu, and Kaga Koetsu are all named after the clay used to make them. (His grandson, Koho Korosai, made his own Shigaraki ware, which is called “Koranshigaraki.)
Kitano Grand Tea Ceremony
On October 1, 16th year of the Tensho Era (1615), Hideyoshi held a grand tea ceremony in Kitano (northwest of Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City), and from August 2, he sent a notice to Otsu, Nara, Fushimi, Osaka, Sakai, and other places, inviting many tea masters.
However, it would be premature to assume that Hideyoshi was just an easygoing person. He settled down the country and implemented two peace policies. The first was to revive Buddhist temples that had been abandoned due to the long war, and the second was to promote the tea ceremony. These two policies were both motivated to promote the development of pottery manufacturing, which is a quiet practice based on respect for harmony, purity, and solitude, as well as a form of double democracy.
Enthusiasm for the Tea Ceremony
At that time, Hideyoshi and his friends were surprisingly enthusiastic about the tea ceremony. One day, he asked Hideyoshi whether he should establish several counties or a famous tea house. Hideyoshi replied that he would prefer a famous tea house to a piece of land.
Takahara Goroshichi
Goroshichi Takahara was again called to serve as an official potter at the Juraku residence. His father was Takahara Doan (Yohei), a man from Namba, and some say that he was called Goroshichi or Oribe, but his family name is not known.
Akahada Pottery
In the Tensho era, Hideyoshi’s younger brother, Dainagon Hidenaga (graduated on the 22nd day of the 22nd month of the 19th year of the Tensho era), invited a potter from Tokoname, Koshi Kuro, to create Akahada ware with small ice cracks in his domain, Gojo village in Yamato province (now Tozomura, Ikoma county). (It was revived by Nonomura Ninsei in the Shoho era. (It was revived by Nonomura Ninsei in the Shoho era and became a thriving business under the leadership of Yanagisawa Gyozan, lord of Koriyama Castle, and Kairi Kichiri, lord of Koriyama Castle, in the Kyoho era. During the Tempo era, there was a master craftsman named Takebei Kihaku Kasuya. (In the Tenpo era, there was a master craftsman named Takebei Kishiro Kasuya, and many of his works have grayish-white glazes with black spots.)
Famous Shigaraku
Rikyu Shigaraki, a Shigaraki ware favored by Sen no Rikyu, is known today. (In the Kan’ei era, Shigaraki was used by his grandson, Kyouan Jikkusai, a son of Munejun. Kobori Muneho, another Shigaraki potter, further selected the clay and tried to reduce the amount of residue. He called it Enshu Shigaraki. Other names for this type of shigaraki include Ninsei Shigaraku and Shinbei Shigaraku.
Etchu Seto
In April of the same year, a potter from Owari Seto, named彥右工門, was invited by the feudal lord Maeda Toshinaga to produce tea ceremony utensils in Kamiseto Village, Ecchu Province (Shinkawa County), which was the origin of Ecchu Seto.
The Rise of Mino
In the same year, in Keicho 2, Kato Kage-nobu of Kusjiri dedicated a white-glazed tea table to Emperor Shojincho and received the name Asahi ware, and on July 5 of the same year, he was entrusted to the Chikugo governor. (Kage-nobu, who is called the founder of Mino ware, graduated on February 2, Kan’ei 9, and was especially appointed as the fifth cousin on November 10, 1915.)
Tokugawa clan, Edo period = Oyayagama kiln
The first pottery produced by the Tokugawa family in Japan was called “Shino” and “Oribe” (a type of weaving technique).
Mizukami Kiln
In the 7th year of Keicho, Kato Tarouemon Kageshun, the fifth son of Kagehisa, restored the Mizukami Kiln in Mino (Ena County).
Yoshinao summoned the pottery family.
On March 5, Keicho 15, 1885, Yoshinao Tokugawa, Marquis of Owari, regretted that the Seto potteries had dispersed to other countries after Tensho 10, and ordered the village headman to return to his home country. The potters who returned to Satsu were Kato Karasaburo Kagesada, who had been making pottery in Gonoki, Mino (Ena County), and his younger brother Nihei Kagesato (both sons of Toemon Kagesori).
Also, Kato Shin’emon Kageshige and his younger brother San’emon Shigemitsu (both sons of Man’emon Motonori) came back to Shinano, Mizukami Village in Ena County. The feudal lord gave the visitors to Satsu an eight-zone kiln site, and those who returned to Shinano a seven-zone kiln site, with a pension of about 8,000 ryo.
Kiyomizu Ware
In the same Keicho era, a man named Kyubei Chawan-ya produced colorful ceramics in Kiyomizu Gojozaka, Kyoto. This is considered to be the origin of Kiyomizu ware.
Kasahara-yaki: In the first year of the Genna Era, during the reign of Emperor Gosui, Kagehisa’s sixth son, Kagehisa Kato, along with his eighth son, Kage Kato, opened a kiln in Kasahara, Mino (Toki-gun). (Or it is also called the kiln opened by Genjuro Kageshige in Tensho 15.)
Takada Kiln
Kato Yokomon Kageichi, the seventh son of Kagehisa, opened a kiln in Takada, Mino (Toki-gun) in the second year of the Genna period.
Awata ware In the same year, Kato Shinbei Kagezai (younger brother of Kichiemon Shigeru) of Seto opened a kiln in Kadohata, Sanjo Kikagami, Awataguchi, Kyoto, and changed his name to Sanjiya Kuza-komon. He then established Awata Pottery in cooperation with his son Kuzakomon, Sukeji Kuzakomon, and apprentice Tokuemon.
Tajimi Kiln
In the 18th year of the Emperor Meisho’s reign, Kato Sakkomon Kageju (the fourth son of Matsubarataro of Abalotsu), the adopted son of Yazaakomon Kageurai (son of Kagemitsu), opened a kiln in Tajimi (Toki-gun), Mino.
The Gyeongchang kilns opened after the Joseon War will be discussed separately in a later section, but since Kyo-yaki and countless other potteries sprang up throughout the country, all of which belong to later periods, the following is a list of overlapping production areas and potters who opened kilns.
Pottery sites of later periods
Aizu ware from Iwashiro, Shoho 2, Mizuno Genzamon Seiji
Tosa’s Odo ware, Seiou 2, Kuno Sohaku
Soma ware from Iwashiro, Tashiro Seiji Kouemon Tamekyo, 17 Kan’ei 7
Kutani ware from Kaga, Saijirou Sadamasa, 1791
Ohi ware of Kaga, dated 1716
Rakuzan ware of Izumo, Kurahashi Gonbei Shigeyoshi, Enbo year
Banko ware from Ise, dated Gembun 3
Fushina-So Broiled in Izumo, Kan’en period, Funaki Yojibei Muramasa
Inuyama ware from Owari, Japan
Iwami ware from Iwami, Japan.
Tobe ware from Tobe, Iyo, dated An’ei 6.
Sanda ware from Settsu, dated 1818
Izushi ware of Tajima, dated 12 Kansei
Aizu ware of Iwashiro, dated 12 Kansei 12, porcelain Ihee Sato Toyoyoshi
Kiyomizuyaki ware of Kyoto, dated Bunka 3
Seto ware from Owari, dated 4th year of Bunka
Hazen Hira-no-Shimizu ware, Year of Bunka
Bizen Mushiaki ware, Kansei era, Kichizo Imakichi
Otokoyama ware from Kii, 10th year of Bunka
Awaji ware, Awaji, dated Bunka 12, Kashu, Sumihira Katsuzui
Harima Higashiyama ware, An’ei era, Shigeuchi Kosuke
Kasama ware of Hitachiniku, Tempo era, Yamada Jinbei
Koto ware of Omi, Tempo 13, Onoda Koichiro Tame-nori
Mino Onshi-Soba, Kaei 2, Kiyoshichi Shimizu
Mashiko ware of Shimono, dated Kaei 6, Otsuka Keizaburo Tadaharu
Famous Potters in Kyoto
Since Tensho, Kyoto has produced many master potters, including Otowa, Seikanji, Komatsudani, Shimizu, and Awata. Some of the most famous include Arirai Shinbei, Takeya Genjuro, Nakatagawa Mitsuzon, Sasa Chikuan, Ganzai Shoi, Shozan, Yanosuke, Sozo, Gensuke, Man’emon, Rokuzaemon, Michimi, Chamaya Kohei, Chausuya, and Chausuya.
Nonomura Ninsei
Nonomura Ninsei (Seibei, from Nonomura, Kuwata-gun, Tamba-kuni, later called Seikomon Masahiro, entered the priesthood and was named Ninsei. He was a rare master potter, and his fame of Kyo-yaki pottery has been recognized throughout the world.
Other famous potters included Otowaya Rokusuke of Kiyomizu, Ebiya Seibei of Awata, Mizukoshi Oku Sanbei of Gojozaka, Shimizu Rokubei of the same place, Kakutei Wakei Heikichi of the same place, Seifu Yohei III of the same place, Shimizu Zoroku of the same place, Iwakurayama Kichihei, Nishikoyama Kihei of Awata, Obiyama Yohei of the same place, Ito Toyama of the same place, and Miura Chikuen of Gojozaka. Other prominent potters include
Okuda Ayukawa
Okuda Egawa (also known as Moichiro Youtoku Shigeru Ukon, also known as Rikuhozan, a pupil of Ebikiyo, living in Gojo Daikoku-cho, graduated on April 27, Bunka 8, 1955, at age 59)
Aoki Kigome
Aoki Kigome (also known as Sahei, Usahei, 88, Kiya, Gensa, Deaf Rice, Kujirin, Koki Kuan, Hyakuroku Sanjin, and Teiun Sakura), a student of Yugawa, lived in Awata, graduated on April 15, 1871 (age 67)
Qinggodang Kameyu
(A student of Yukawa and a maker of Settsu Sanda celadon porcelain)
Takahashi Dohachi
Takahashi Michihachi (also known as Rozan or Houraizan) was the eldest son of Michihachi Mitsushige I and the second generation of Michiiru. He was a student of Awata no Yama and lived in Kiyomizu.)
Ogata Kenzan
Ogata Kenzan (also known as Gonpei Tadahisa, also known as Shinsho Shoko, Shizudo, Shisui, Toutoku, Reikai, etc.) is the youngest son of Ogata Muneken and a disciple of Korin. He lived in Iriya, Edo, and graduated on June 2, 1791 at the age of 81.)
Shuhei Ogata
Shuhei Ogata (a pupil of the aforementioned Shuhei Takahashi II, who changed his name to Shuhei Mitsuyoshi after Hajime Kumazo) contributed to the development of Awaji Suminpei ware. He was a contributor to Awaji Suminpei ware and graduated during the Meiji era.)
Nishimura Souei
(Eiraku Zen Goro Ryozen’s eldest son. He was the head of Kishu ware and graduated on September 18, 1875, at the age of 60.)
Miyagawa Kozan
Miyagawa Kozan (son of Chozo Miyagawa, the head brewer under Kigome, named Toranosuke, opened a kiln in 1871 in Fujiyamashita, Ota Village, Kuraki-gun, Muso-kuni (now Minami-Ota-cho, Yokohama City) and is the head of Ota ware, one of the best known Makazu ware. He was nominated as a member of the Imperial Household Artists and graduated on May 20, 1916 at the age of 69.)
The chronology of the history of ceramics in Japan will stop here, and as a prerequisite to entering the history of Hizen ceramics, a summary of the history of ceramics during Hideyoshi’s service in Korea will be given.
