A type of brown iron ore produced in large quantities in the Owari Seto area. It is called “oniita” or “onishi” (devil’s slab) because of its plate-like shape, somewhat similar to onigawara (devil’s tile), and is also called akae (red picture) because of its red color. The best type is called tama-aka-e (jade-red glaze), and this type has a jade shape. It was previously used only for Tenmoku glaze, Koseto glaze, and other glazes, as well as for cosmetics on exposed surfaces, but it was first used for iron painting on Eshino ware in the Tensho and Bunroku periods (1573-96), following the ceramic techniques of the Korean Yi Dynasty. In Korea, the same type of ironware was called seokma-jyu. E-Goryeo, Yi Dynasty iron sand, E-Karatsu, E-Shino, E-Seto, E-Oribe, etc. all use the same quality of pigment.
