Earthenware is one of Japan’s oldest heritage crafts, with an extensive history dating back to Neolithic times. Also known as tōjiki (陶磁器) or yakimono (焼き物), pottery was created as far back as Japan’s earliest historical era, the Jōmon period (10,500–300 BC), making it one of the oldest craft traditions in the world. Hundreds of different earthenware styles have been developed across pottery and porcelain over the centuries, with some roots in Chinese and Korean influences that have been adapted into iconic Japanese aesthetics and culture, such as the tea ceremony.
Here’s our quick round-up of five of the most treasured, traditional wares in Japan:
|
Style |
Region |
Most well-known for… |
|
|
Arita ware |
Porcelain |
Saga Prefecture |
Beautiful white finishes and colourful designs, most notably blue and red |
|
Seto ware (one of the Six Ancient Kilns) |
Stoneware, pottery and porcelain
|
Aichi Prefecture |
A wide variety of glazes and tea ceremony bowls |
|
Kutani ware |
Porcelain |
Ishikawa Prefecture |
Vivid shades and elegant patterns
|
|
Shigaraki ware (one of the Six Ancient Kilns)
|
Stoneware pottery |
Shiga Prefecture |
Tanuki figures, tiles, clay pots, tea bowls
|
|
Kyō ware |
Ceramics, porcelain |
Kyoto Prefecture |
Fusion patterns and techniques that flourished alongside artistic disciplines, such as the tea ceremony and flower arranging |
Image: The Japan Times