Old pottery from Shigaraki, Koka County, Omi Province (Shiga Prefecture). The pottery industry in this area already existed during the Tempyo period (729-149). It finally appeared in the Kounin period (810-124), when it was half-farmer, half-pottery, and made seed pots and seed soaking pots as an afterthought for farmers. These jars, which are nowadays prized as “onioke mizusashi,” are relics from this period. These are called koshigaraki, and later generations of tea masters used them as tea utensils and appreciated them. The quality of the ware is coarse, sandy, and very hard, with a base between yellowish red and brown, and a transparent light blue beadlo glaze with flecks on it, which is highly prized. Shigaraki ware
