Japanese ceramics map

Japanese ceramics map
日本陶磁器マップ
九州・沖縄エリア | Kyushu and Okinawa Area
KoishiwarayakiKoishiwara ware | KOISHIWARA
pottery
製造地域 : Toho Village, Asakura District, Fukuoka Prefecture
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

It has distinctive decorations such as a large plate with a brush pattern and a jar with a planer pattern. Today, pots, drinking vessels, flower vases, etc. are still made using techniques that have not changed much from the past.
Takatori yakiTakatori ware | TAKATORI
pottery
製造地域 : Fukuoka Prefecture, Asakura District, Toho Village, Fukuoka City
開窯時期 : Early Edo period to modern day

It is said that Kuroda Nagamasa, the lord of the Chikuzen Fukuoka domain, had Korean potter Yazan (Japanese name: Takatori Hachizo) build a kiln at the foot of Mt. Takatori. Takatori ware, which flourished as the official kiln of the Kuroda clan, was selected as one of the Seven Enshu Favorite Kilns (Akahada, Ueno, Takatori, Furusobe, Shidoro, Zeze, Asahi) under the guidance of tea master Enshu Kobori, It gained fame as ceramics and Takatori ware.
AganoyakiUeno ware | AGANO
pottery
製造地域 : Ueno, Fukuchi-cho, Tagawa-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

You can enjoy a variety of pottery, including color development, glaze flow, texture, luster, and kiln changes. I don't do much painting, mostly glazing. As it developed as a tea pottery, it is characterized by the fact that there are many thin and beautiful pottery pieces.
AritayakiArita ware | ARITA
porcelain
製造地域 : Arita Town, Nishimatsuura District, Saga Prefecture
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

It is characterized by its beautiful white magnetic surface, gorgeous painting, ease of use as tableware, and durability. It is said that potters who came from Korea began producing porcelain, and representative styles include Ko-Imari, Kakiemon, and Nabeshima.
KaratsuyakiKaratsu ware | KATATSU
pottery
製造地域 : Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture
開窯時期 : Momoyama period ~ modern day

The charm of Karatsu ware lies in its earthy taste and simple style. The painted patterns have a rustic feel and give a sense of the warmth of the earth. There are various types of utensils, from everyday utensils to tea utensils, with a wide range of styles and techniques. In addition, the tea bowl has been called "Ichiraku Nihagi San Karatsu" since ancient times and is famous as tea pottery.
ScissorsHasami ware | HASAMI
porcelain
製造地域 : Hasami Town, Nagasaki Prefecture
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

It is characterized by the beauty of the transparent white porcelain and the delicate and deep flavor of the dyed dyeing, which is painted with blue gosu. In addition, because we have continued to improve and manufacture products in line with the changing times, we have a wide range of products, from traditional to modern ones. The price is also reasonable.
ShodaiyakiSHODAI
pottery
製造地域 : Kumamoto Prefecture Arao City, Nankan Town
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

It is sometimes called Kodai-yaki because it is made from pottery clay taken from the foot of Mt. Shodai in Arao City. They are divided into Ao-Shoji, Yellow-Shoji, and Shiro-Shoji depending on their color, and all of them have a simple yet powerful flavor. In addition to making tea pottery as the official kiln of the Higo domain, miscellaneous utensils for everyday use were also made here, and their artistry is highly praised.
OntayakiOnta ware | ONTA
pottery
製造地域 : Sarayama, Genei-cho, Hita City, Oita Prefecture
開窯時期 : Mid-Edo period to modern day

Ontayaki is a type of pottery that was created in Hita City, Oita Prefecture. The characteristic techniques of Ontayaki include ``plane'', ``hakeme'', and ``nagashigake'', and these techniques have been passed down from generation to generation for about 300 years. In 1995, it was designated as a national important intangible cultural property, and in 2008, the entire area was designated as an important cultural landscape as "Ontayaki no Sato."
Sweet potatoSatsuma ware | SATSUMA
Pottery/porcelain
製造地域 : Kagoshima Prefecture Satsuma region
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

There are white Satsuma and black Satsuma. White Satsuma is a pottery with a colorless glaze on a pale yellow ground, and the surface is covered with intrusions. This is decorated with dyeing, colored pictures, and gold. Black Satsuma is a type of pottery finished with various colored glazes such as black glaze, brown glaze, and candy glaze.The pottery is brown in color due to the use of china clay with a high iron content.
TsuboyakiTsuboya ware | TSUBOYA
pottery
製造地域 : Tsuboya, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, Yomitan Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture
開窯時期 : Ryukyu Dynasty period ~ modern day

Okinawan pottery (yachimun) is broadly divided into joyachi (joyachi) and arayachi (arayachi). Joyaki is the process of creating glazed tableware with colors and designs unique to Okinawa. Arayaki, also known as Nanban ware, is a relatively large type of pottery that does not use glaze, and is often used to produce sake bottles, water pots, etc.
中国・四国エリア | Chugoku and Shikoku Area
OhtaniyakiOtani ware | OTANI
pottery
製造地域 : Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture
開窯時期 : Late Edo period ~ modern day

To make large-scale pottery, such as pots as tall as one's own body and water lily pots, a ``nester's wheel'' (in pairs, one person takes charge of the shaping, and the other person lies down and kicks the potter's wheel with their feet) is used to shape the pieces. It is particularly famous for its climbing kiln, which is said to be the largest in Japan. Additionally, the sake vessels are made using sophisticated potter's wheel technology, making them extremely thin yet durable.
TobeyakiTobe ware | TOBE
porcelain
製造地域 : Ehime Prefecture Tobe Town
開窯時期 : Mid-Edo period to modern day

We make use of the warm base made of locally sourced pottery stone, and use somemetsuke tableware with bold brushstrokes painted on it in blue, as well as soft-colored celadon vases made from natural ash. It is practical, yet warm and unique.
HagiyakiHagi ware | HAGI
pottery
製造地域 : Yamaguchi Prefecture Hagi City, Nagato City
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

It is characterized by a soft earthy taste with little hardening and high water absorption. Because it is highly absorbent, tea and alcohol will penetrate through it and the color of the bowl will change over the course of many years of use. This change was affectionately referred to as ``cha familiarity'' by those who enjoyed the tea ceremony. Other characteristics include simplicity of form and decoration, and in most cases no painting is done.
日本六古窯
BizenyakiBizen ware | BIZEN
pottery
製造地域 : Okayama Prefecture Bizen City, Setouchi City
開窯時期 : Heian period ~ modern day

It is characterized by its simple and dignified style, the warmth of its earthy taste, and its ease of use, but its greatest feature is its kiln variation. Bizen ware is a natural art in which the color and surface of the pottery change depending on the conditions inside the kiln during firing, and due to kiln variation, Bizen ware is a natural art form where no two pieces are exactly the same.
FujinayakiFushina ware | FUJINA
pottery
製造地域 : Shimane Prefecture Matsue City, Tamayu Town Fushina
開窯時期 : Mid-Edo period to modern day

It reached its peak around the Meiji period, and the yellow glaze paintings unique to Fushina expanded their sales channels not only in Japan but also overseas. In the Showa era, under the influence of the folk art movement of Soetsu Yanagi, Kanjiro Kawai, Shoji Hamada, and Bernard Leach, a technique called slipwear, in which patterns were created using makeup mud, was introduced.
中部・近畿エリア | Chubu and Kinki Area
日本六古窯
Tanbatachi KuiyakiTANBA TACHIKUI | TANBA TACHIKUI
pottery
製造地域 : Imada Town, Tanba Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture
開窯時期 : Late Heian period ~ modern day

Using ash glazes and iron glazes, we continue to create utensils for everyday life that are unadorned and full of rustic charm. For works fired in a climbing kiln, the ash from the burnt pine wood falls on the piece, blends with the glaze, and changes in the kiln, creating a unique color and pattern called ``ash covering.'' The way this appears is different for each person.
Kyoyaki/KyomizuyakiKYO KIYOMIZU/KYO KIYOMIZU
Pottery/porcelain
製造地域 : Kyoto Prefecture Kyoto City, Uji City
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

"Kyoto ware/Kiyomizu ware" does not have a specific style or technique, but is a fusion of all techniques. The background to this was the privileged environment of Kyoto, the capital of Japan, where the finest materials and craftsmen gathered from all over Japan, as well as the presence of temples, shrines, and the imperial family and aristocrats who supported the culture. can be given.
日本六古窯
ShigarakiyakiShigaraki ware | SHIGARAKI
pottery
製造地域 : Around Koga District, Shiga Prefecture
開窯時期 : Mid-Kamakura period to modern day

Because it is fired in a climbing kiln or anagama kiln, firewood ash is attached to and melted on the surface of the pottery in the kiln, creating a natural glaze that acts as a glaze and the surface of the pottery. It has characteristics such as a red mottled pattern called ``hiiro'' that appears on the surface, and ``ash cloud'', which is caused by the ash from burnt firewood falling and melting onto the surface. The key point is the simple earthy taste.
IgayakiIga ware | IGA
pottery
製造地域 : Iga City, Mie Prefecture
開窯時期 : Muromachi period ~ modern day

It is harder and heavier than the neighboring Shigaraki ware. Depending on the conditions in the kiln during firing, various changes in the color and shape of the pottery are called ``kiln changes.'' This change in kiln changes can result in a glassy texture called vidro, the degree of charring, and The strong shape and color of the vessel itself are the characteristics of Iga ware.
BankoyakiBANKO ware | BANKO
pottery
製造地域 : Mie Prefecture Yokkaichi City, Komono Town
開窯時期 : Mid-Edo period to modern day

Banko-yaki teapots, which have been loved by tea lovers for a long time, not only enhance the taste of tea, but also develop a unique luster that becomes calmer the more they are used. In addition, earthenware pots, which represent Banko ware, account for nearly 80% of the total production nationwide.
日本六古窯
SetoyakiSeto ware | SETO
Pottery/porcelain
製造地域 : Aichi Prefecture, around the Seto clan
開窯時期 : Early Kamakura period ~ modern day

A major feature of Seto Sometsuke ware is the underpainting process, in which detailed patterns are drawn directly onto the surface of the unglazed fabric using a brush. The technique of finely drawing birds, flowers, insects, and landscapes on the surface of the porcelain using the indigo color of Gosu-e, and the firing technique to create a rich and rich image are unique to this region.
日本六古窯
TokonameyakiTokoname ware | TOKONAME
pottery
製造地域 : Around Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture
開窯時期 : Late Heian period ~ modern day

A representative example of Tokoname ware is a reddish-brown teapot called ``Shudo.'' Shudei teapots are known for their excellent spout and easy-to-hold handle. Tokoname City is also one of the leading tile producing areas, and is also famous for being the largest producer of beckoning cats in Japan.
MinoyakiMino ware | MINO
pottery
製造地域 : Gifu Prefecture Tono region
開窯時期 : Muromachi period ~ modern day

Mino ware is a general term for ceramics produced in the eastern region of Mino Province (present-day Gifu Prefecture). There are 15 types of Mino ware designated as traditional crafts, and among them, Shino, Kiseto, Oribe, and Setoguro are ones that place emphasis on color, with soft, pale colors. The main attractions are the finish of the base material and glaze, and the well-balanced design.
東北・北陸・関東エリア | Tohoku, Hokuriku and Kanto Area
日本六古窯
EchizenyakiEchizen ware | ECHIZEN
pottery
製造地域 : Around Nyu-gun, Fukui Prefecture
開窯時期 : Heian period ~ modern day

Pottery with a rustic feel that is baked without using glaze, mainly using yakijime, ash glaze, and iron glaze. It has an unadorned construction, is baked in warm clay, and has the beauty of a vessel used in daily life.
I'm tiredKutani ware | KUTANI
porcelain
製造地域 : Ishikawa Prefecture Kanazawa City, Komatsu City, etc.
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

The original characteristic of Kutani ware lies in the overglaze painting, in which multicolored pictures are drawn. Kutani ware is characterized by the deep shine of the Japanese paints, which are applied in five colors of green, yellow, red, purple, and deep blue, on top of the dynamic and elegant line drawings. The slightly bluish base, unique to Kutani, has a subdued color tone that further enhances the overpainting.
MashikoyakiMashiko ware | MASHIKO
pottery
製造地域 : Mashiko Town, Haga District, Tochigi Prefecture
開窯時期 : Late Edo period ~ modern day

Along with Kasama ware from Ibaraki Prefecture, it is a representative pottery from the Kanto region. Mainly kitchen utensils such as pots, water jars, and earthenware jars have been produced. In the Showa era, along with Muneyoshi Yanagi and others, he promoted the folk art movement, and ceramic artist Shoji Hamada brought it to attention as a folk art product, and it became a national specialty.
KasamayakiKasama ware | KASAMA
pottery
製造地域 : Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture
開窯時期 : Mid-Edo period to modern day

Kasama ware has about 200 potteries, pottery artists, and retailers. It is attracting attention as a unique production area where a variety of sensibilities coexist, from unique handmade products to traditional items that have never been seen before.
Aizu HongouyakiAizu Hongo ware | AIZUHONGOU
Pottery/porcelain
製造地域 : Aizumisato Town, Onuma District, Fukushima Prefecture
開窯時期 : Azuchi-Momoyama period ~ modern day

This is a production area that produces both pottery and porcelain. There are many different types of porcelain, including dyed porcelain using a blue paint called Gosu, and multi-colored porcelain painted with Western paint. Many of the pottery items are practical, and traditional glazes such as candy glaze and ash glaze are used.
Oobori SomayakiOBORISOMA ware | OBORISOMA
pottery
製造地域 : Fukushima Prefecture Futaba Gun Namie Town, etc.
開窯時期 : Early Edo period ~ modern day

The blue "cracks" created by the celadon glaze spread throughout the entire bowl, creating a ground pattern that gives this piece a rustic taste. In addition to celadon glaze, ash glaze, ame glaze, white glaze, etc. are also used, making it a thick and durable product suitable for everyday use. It also features a unique "running piece" picture and a double-layered "double-yaki" structure.
陶磁器の豆知識Tips
The Difference Between Pottery and Porcelain

Pottery is made with clay, and takes a long time to heat up and cool down. It has low heat conductivity, so it is often used for hot drinks like tea or coffee, or for soups. Compared with porcelain, pottery is more absorbent (liquids won’t leak), and more opaque. Some famous Japanese styles include Karatsu ware, Shigaraki ware, Tanba ware, and Bizen ware. Porcelain is made with the powder created by crushing clay, and is quick to heat up and cool down. Its hardness makes it strong and resistant to damage, and food stains and smells are less likely to stick to it. While it is less absorbent than pottery, it has a more translucent appearance. Some famous Japanese styles include Arita ware (Imari ware), Hasami ware, and Kutani ware.

What do the style names mean?

The location in “So-and-so ware” might refer to the place the clay was from, where the kiln was located, or where the art or glazing style was developed. Karatsu ware, Arita ware, Hagi ware, and Bizen ware were all named after the cities they originated in. The white Shino ware, green Oribe ware, and light yellow Kizeto were named for characteristics of their glazes.

What are the Six Old Kilns of Japan?

This is the collective name for six representative ancient Japanese ceramic kilns whose production has continued from the Middle Ages (late Heian Period) to the present. Named by antique ceramic researcher Fujio Koyama in 1948, it was recognized as a Japan Heritage Site in 2017. 1. Echizen-yaki (Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture); 2. Seto-yaki (Seto City, Aichi Prefecture); 3. Tokoname-yaki (Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture); 4. Shigaraki-yaki (Koga City, Shiga Prefecture); 5. Tanba-yaki (Tanba Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture); 6. Bizen-yaki (Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture)