Excavated from Kawauchi-mura, Takaoka-gun, Kochi Prefecture
15th century
Height 26.9cm, mouth diameter 12.6cm, body diameter 23.5cm, bottom diameter 14.8cm
Tokyo National Museum
　Along with Echizen o-haguro jars, Bizen kataguchi-kotsu pots are the most outstanding in terms of quality and quantity among the ceramics produced in other areas. It is difficult to determine which of the two was the first, but it is thought that they were produced in response to similar demands shortly after the Muromachi period (1333-1573). Bizen ceramics are said to be oil pots. The early examples are all large in shape, and tend to become smaller as time goes by. This kataguchi-jar is one of the representative examples of the early period, and the surface of the vessel has been adjusted by scraping with a hagi-zukuri technique. It is extremely well fired and has a brownish-brown smooth surface. There is a comb-shaped wavy pattern on the shoulder and a cross-shaped comb-shaped pattern above and below it.
