Nonomura Ninsei
The history of Japanese ceramics prior to the mid-Edo period is still largely unknown. Needless to say, this is due to the lack of reliable documents and works that tell the history of the kilns and potters. However, there are relatively more materials on Insei and Kenzan of Kyoto ware than on local kilns and potters, because there are few reliable sources of information on the kilns and potters. This is due to the fact that Kyoto was one of the most active cities in the Edo period in terms of recognizing individuality, and also because of their access to the top nobility. In the case of Kenzan, this was due to the fact that he was born into a prominent merchant family in Kyoto called Gankin-ya, and that he left behind many works of high documentary value, notably his “Toukou Hitsuyo” (Essentials for Potters), a book that he wrote down to convey his techniques. In the case of Ninsei, he wrote the diary of the monk Horin Seisho of Rokuon-ji Temple, who was one of the leading intellectuals in Kyoto at the time, in his “Bitan-ki,” the diary of the priest Kensho of Sonjuin, “Ichiombo Nikki,” and the diary of the priest Hinamiki Shinkei of Nara’s Ichijoin Temple, “Ichijo Shujin Hinami,” etc. In the case of Ninsei, he wrote the diary of the priest Hinami, who was the chief priest of the Ichijoin Temple in Nara’s Ichijoin Temple. This is because his works were treasured by the nobility, especially by the Dojo court nobility, and were also highly praised in their own right. This is because his works themselves were far more refined and superior than those of other Kyo-yaki potters, and even when one looks at the surviving works, Ninsei’s position in Kyo-yaki pottery before the mid-Edo period is significant. No one else but Ninsei added the elegant ceramics, described as “glamorous,” to the history of Japanese ceramics, not only in the world of Kyo-yaki, but also in the history of Japanese ceramics during the Edo period.
The kiln of Omuro Ninsei was located in front of the Ninna-ji Temple in Rakusai. The date of the kiln’s founding is not known, but it was in October of the 3rd year of the Shoho Era (1646) that the famous Ninna-ji Temple, which had been devastated after the Onin War, was rebuilt under the orders of Tokugawa Iemitsu, with Kinoshita Awaji-no-Mori and Aoki Kai-no-Mori serving as magistrates for the construction, It is assumed that Omuro-yaki pottery in front of the gate was opened sometime after that. Furthermore, in the “Bitan-ki,” which often describes early Kyoto ware such as Kyo-yaki, Awataguchi ware, and Yasaka ware since its first appearance in 1639, Omuro-yaki is mentioned for the first time on January 9, Shoho 5, with the words, “Kamo no Sekime Minbu came, Omuro-yaki tea container Ichigae-no ya” (Omuro-yaki tea container is one of the most popular items). In addition, Hisashige Matsuya of Nara, who was invited to a tea ceremony by Sowa Kanamori (1584-1656), who is thought to have had a close relationship with Omuroyaki, wrote in his account of the tea ceremony on March 25, Shoho 5, “Arayaki water jar, tea caddy, Sowa kirigata to tote (body), square, Shimano bag, to be used as tea lunch box, and helicopter, Niwa-ji yakito-ya”, which is very similar to the description of a new water jar first seen at the tea ceremony. This is the first time that a new water jar and a four-sided Niwadera-yaki tea caddy with a Sowakiri-shaped body have been described. These facts suggest that Omuro-yaki was probably established between October of Shoho 3 and January of Shoho 5, i.e., in the 4th year of the same period. The involvement of Seiemon, a potter who later became known as Ninsei, can also be inferred from an article in the Biki, dated August 24, 1649, which states that the kiln was built on the site of the Ninna-ji temple reconstruction. In other words, Seisho Horin went to the residence of Awajimori Kinoshita, who was in charge of rebuilding Ninna-ji Temple, and wrote, “The pottery master Seiwemon made pottery of various kinds and styles to his own liking, and he made water jars, plates, bowls, etc. ・・・・・・”. Since there seems to be no change of potter between Shoho 4, when the kiln was opened, and Keian 2, it is safe to say that Seiemon was involved in the construction of the kiln from the very beginning.
It is not clear whether or not this kiln was an official kiln of Ninna-ji Temple, but it seems that it was initially a garden kiln associated with the completion of the new palace, as people around Ninna-ji Palace had their favorite works fired there. The above-mentioned “Matsuya Kai Ki” indicates that Munekazu Kanamori was in charge of this kiln from the beginning, but it is also known that Munekazu gave cut forms not only to Omuroyaki but also to Sakubei, an Awataguchi potter, and had him make kagasuki tea caddies. In the article “Bitan-ki,” dated November 8, 1640, “Awata-yaki tea caddy, cut by Kanamori Munekazu, then in Awataguchi, then in Sakubei-yaki tea caddy,” which indicates that Munekazu was actively involved in teaching Kyoyaki. From 1648 onward, the “Binan-ki” mentions Omuro-yaki or Ninna-ji-yaki, or Seiwemon, Ninsei-yaki, or Nonomura-Ninsei, and so on, more than 30 times until 1668, when the author, Horin Kazusho, passed away.
The fact that the number of references to Omuro-yaki is overwhelmingly greater than that to any other type of Kyoto pottery suggests that Omuro-yaki had a different character from other kilns, and that it was the kiln’s connection with Ninna-ji Temple that led to the hiring of a master potter of the day named Ninsei.
The fact that Ninsei was a master of the potter’s wheel and workmanship is evident in the works that remain in his possession, as evidenced by the fact that on March 11, 1660 (Manji 3), when Gozuioin went to Ninna-ji Temple, he took the trouble of viewing Ninsei’s pottery (“Bitan-ki”), and was honored by the temple. The tea ceremony bowls and tea bowls were also made by Insei from the beginning. The “Bitan-ki” also indicates that from the beginning, Insei mainly produced tea utensils such as tea containers, bowls, and water jars, and his existing works also bear witness to this.
However, it is not clear whether or not the beautiful red painting (nishiki-te) was done from the time the kiln was opened, and the first mention of “Nishiki-te Akae Chawan by Nonomura Ninsei” in the “Binan-ki” is dated May 4, 1853, and before that it is simply described as an Omuro ware tea bowl and water jar, so it is not clear whether or not it was an iroe ware. However, in the more than 30 descriptions of Omuroyaki and Ninsei, only two tea bowls are described as “Nishikite,” but it is not clear if those tea bowls were the only ones with color painting and the others were not, or if the description was omitted. However, in 1657, three years before Manji 3, an incense burner in overglaze enamels was produced with an inscription that is worthy of special mention among Insei’s works. It is an incense burner (Fig. 37) that was donated to Anyoji Temple by Ninsei, and is inscribed on the bottom: “Dedication by Harima Nyudo Ninsei, dated Meireki 3, Ugetsu. There is also a piece of unglazed pottery of the same shape, apparently an incense burner, collected from the ruins of the Omuro ware kiln by Ninagawa Daiichi, inscribed “Boku yoshin, Nonomura Harima, ・・・・・・, Meireki 2-nen, ・・・・・・,” which clearly indicates that the color painting by Ninsei was completed between Meireki 2 and 3, and that it may have been fired before that time.
The fact that the incense burner from Anyoji Temple bears the inscription “Harima Irimichi Ninsei” and the ceramic shard “Nonomura Harima ・・・・・・” indicates that a major change in the status of the potter Seiwemon had occurred. Since the opening of Omuro-yaki in Shoho 4, Ninsei has been referred to as “Seiwemon the Pottery Master” (“Biwa-ji Goki,” August 24, Keian 2), “Tanba-yaki Seiwemon” (“Ninna-ji Goki,” October 9, Keian 3), “Tsuboya Seiwemon” (“Ninna-ji Goki,” September 26, Meireki 1), etc. Seiwemon was also known as “Seiwemon the Potter. However, in the second or third year of Meireki, he began to write “Nonomura Harima” or “Harima Nyudo Ninsei” on the incense burners he made himself. The name “Seiwemon” also disappears from the “Bitan-ki,” and is replaced by “Ren (a misspelling of “Jin”) Sei” (a misnomer for “Nin”). In other words, “Seiwemon” became “Ninsei,” took the surname Nonomura, and also called himself “Harima-no-irimichi. In sum, Seiwemon had been able to use the title “Nonomura Harima Taisho Fujara Masahiro Nikiyo” (which is said to be written on an “Iroe Sangusoku” inscribed in Banji 2, formerly owned by Kitano Tenmangu Shrine) on his works since around Meireki 2 or 3.
The fact that he is mentioned in the Ninna-ji Goki as “Tamba-yaki Seiwemon” or “Tsuboya Seiwemon” and that his family name was Nonomura indicates that he was from Tsuboya, Nonomura, Tamba, a famous producer of leaf tea pots, which is also mentioned in “Kefukigusa” (published in 17 Kan’ei 17). According to the “Essentials for Potters,” a book written by Kenzan, the name “Ninsei” is a combination of the characters “Nin” for Ninna-ji and “Sei” for Seiwemon, and “Nin” for Ninna-ji must have been given to him by Ninna-ji Palace. This honor as a potter was due to his growing reputation as a master craftsman, and it is assumed that the completion of Insei’s unique color painting was especially highly valued.
If the fragment from Meireki 2 remains intact and is not marked as “Irimichi,” it is possible that the shaving was due to the death of Kanamori Sowa, who is thought to have been his greatest potterly mentor, or perhaps it was due to age. The cause may have been the death of Kanamori Sowa, who is thought to have been his greatest pottery teacher, or it may have been due to his age.
As described above, the name “Ninsei” was not used since the opening of the kiln in Shoho 4, but from the Meireki period, as far as we can see from the data. If this is the case, works from Shoho 4 to the time when the name “Ninsei” was used were naturally not stamped with the “Ninsei” seal, and the existing Omuro-yaki tea caddies and other works with no seal are considered to be early works, but there is a custom not to stamp seals on items presented to or ordered by dignitaries, so not all unmarked items can necessarily be considered early. The seals used by Ninsei were made in the early period of the Five Dynasties.
There are five types of seals used by Ninsei: (1) a large seal in the shape of a small oval, (2) a small seal called an ouchi seal or makuin seal, (3) a cocoon-shaped small seal, (4) a small seal with the radical of the character for “Ninsei” exactly the same as that of the large seal, and (5) a small seal with a different radical of the character for “Sei” from that of the large seal. The fifth seal is commonly referred to as a sohwa seal, and is said to have a large, medium, and small seal shape, but this is not yet clear. However, these seals were not used only by the master craftsman Insei I, but also by Insei II, and they are also found on some pieces that are clearly inferior in quality. Some of the other seals have the character “Insei” engraved on a nail.
The pottery methods of potters are usually passed down orally, with few records left behind. According to the book, there are several types of clay used for clay making, such as “Honko-yaki clay,” “Gogi-te clay,” “Iraho clay,” “Karatsu clay,” “Seto-nukite clay,” and “Shiro-e Beni-asara clay,” and each type of clay is combined in different ways depending on the piece.
The glazes applied over the base are also described with the following preparations: “honyakakekeyaku,” “benisara teyaku,” “koryoyaku-no-hata,” “towakate-no-kakiyaku,” “kakiyaku,” “shunkei glaze,” “chayuri yaku,” “seto glaze,” “karamono yaku,” “chayuri kinyaku,” “shoyitechayuri yaku,” “choko teyaku,” “Asahi teyaku,” “celadon glaze,” “seto celadon glaze,” “sabi glaze,” “irahoteyaku,” “hakeme matai do teyaku,” “hameme matai do teyaku,” and “kurodani clay. Some of the existing pieces are recognizable. Although some of the existing pieces are recognizable and some are not, the fact that various Seto-style glazes are described indicates a general trend in Kyo-yaki pottery and confirms the legend that Ninsei went to Seto to train himself.
In addition, the “Nishikite E-nogu,” or overglaze paints, are described, including “red,” “moe yellow,” “navy blue,” “yellow,” “purple,” “white,” “gold,” and “black,” all of which are used in Nisei’s color paintings.
The one hundred and seventeen illustrations give a general overview of the artist’s style. He produced tea pots, flower vases, incense containers, incense containers, water jars, tea containers, tea bowls, jianshui-style tea containers, plates, bowls, plates and bowls, water droplets, inkstone screens, and more. His skill on the potter’s wheel is truly superb, and his skill with carving, as shown by his incense burners and incense containers in the shape of birds and animals, is also outstanding. It is also clear from the fact that there are many masterpieces from the Maeda family of Kaga and the Kyogoku family of Marugame, and that other feudal lords also greatly appreciated the quality of Omuroyaki.
The designs of incense burners, incense containers, tea bowls, and water jars are full of elegance that could be said to be typical of the capital, and many of the designs are based on the yushoku-no-futsuji (the rules of the court nobility), perhaps because they were highly favored by the Dojo court nobles. Although not documented in any written sources, tea pots are among the most important of his works. According to Shigeo Sugimoto, author of “The Old Kilns of Tamba,” the potter’s wheel clearly shows the Tamba style. The painted designs on the tea pots are in the style of the Kano, Sotatsu, and Kaiho schools, and it is likely that the artists of these schools were commissioned to draw the designs on the pots. However, it is not clear whether Kano Tanyu or Eishin actually painted directly on the pottery.
As for the state of the Omuro-yaki kiln, a travel diary of Tosa Oto-yaki potter Morita Kyuemon, who visited the kiln on August 20, 1678, states, “I am coming to see Omuro-yaki. There are seven kettles to be seen and seven kettles to be visited, and only the current potter, Nonomura Seiwemon, is present. ・・・・・・” or “There is no other change in Omuro-yaki. There is a shakuhachi in a hanging flower vase, an ebi in an incense burner, and a pheasant in an oshitori,” which shows a part of the style of Omuroyaki. It is interesting to note that there are “seven kilns,” but it is not clear whether there were seven different kilns within the kiln area or seven climbing kilns. The inscription, “Only the present-day potter, Nono “Mura Seiemon,” suggests that Ninsei I had died by this time, and his son Seiemon may have been the chief kiln master.
As described above, Ninsei was a master potter active from Shoho to Meireki and Enpo, and is the most well documented potter of the Edo period, yet the date of his death is still unknown.
There are two loan certificates dated February 29, Enpo 2 and February 12, Enpo 5, with Nikiyo’s eldest son Seiwemon as the borrower, which reads, “Contractor: Nikiyo; Borrower: Seiwemon,” indicating that Nikiyo was still alive at this time, but since Seiwemon is listed as the potter in Morita Kyuemon’s diary in Enpo 6, it is possible that he died in the same year. He may have died between Enpo 5 and 6, or he may have lived in Enpo 6, but retired. There is another theory that he died in Tenwa 2. However, it is clear that he died in 1695, and in the “Maeda Sadachika Memorandum,” there is a complaint that the incense container ordered by the Kaga Maeda family was poorly made by Ninsei II, as it is written, “Thirteen incense containers for burning in the chamber have been made, but they are not ready for use. It is presumed that master craftsman Ninsei I died in Genroku 8.
According to the data available, Ninsei had three sons.
According to the “Bitan-ki,” a man named “Yasuemon” is mentioned as a son of Ninsei, but this may have been a former name of one of the above three sons. The “Nonomura Harima Taisho Fujiyoshi” mentioned in the “Essentials for Potters” seems to have been his second son Seijiro, but the same book also mentions that Ninsei’s eldest son Seiemon assisted at the opening of the kiln in the 12th year of the Genroku era. It is not clear whether Seiemon was the eldest son of Seiemon Masanobu, who is thought to have been the second Seiemon, and whether his younger brother Seijiro was the second Nisei because the second Seiemon died early, or whether the first Seiemon lived long enough to pass on the pottery method to Qianzan and his eldest son Seiemon helped open the kiln. However, it is difficult to imagine that Ninsei I, who shaved his head in Meireki 2 and called himself “Iridou,” remained active until the 12th year of the Genroku Era.
Omuroyaki pottery seems to have lasted for about 50 years, from around Shoho 4 or 5 to the Genroku era. Most of the pieces during this period were stamped with the Ninsei mark, both large and small, and were called Omuro-yaki at the time, but later became known as Ninsei-yaki and were highly prized by the public. It is interesting to know how the kiln of Ninsei Omuroyaki was operated in order to understand the character of Kyoyaki during the Edo period, but it is unfortunate that there are almost no materials remaining to tell us how it was operated.
It is regrettable that there are few materials remaining to tell us about this situation. Therefore, it is clear that some of the works bearing the Nisei seal include pottery made by the first generation and their successors. Based on the “Maeda Sadachika Memorandum” of Genroku 8, we can infer that it was true that the production of pottery had declined considerably at that time. Although there are considerable differences in the quality of the works that have survived, it is not acceptable at this time to categorize them as being superior to the first generation, and inferior to the second and later generations. We have tried to classify the works, thinking that the several types of seals on the works may indicate differences in authorship, but we have not been able to determine whether the seals were used to distinguish between special products and ordinary products. In short, it is almost impossible to clearly distinguish between the first and second generation works unless new materials emerge.
All of the 111 works included in this collection are also attributed to the first generation of Ninsei, but it is clear that there is a great deal of skill in the way they were created when observed in detail. However, all of these works are valuable and coveted, and it would be difficult to make any kind of objection to them through detailed research and investigation.
