第６回赤津窯の里めぐり

3rd Seto - Whole Museum Excursion Festival was held on Nov. 10, 2002 to have
each district of Seto City known. In this Festival, thrown were various events
such as opening to the public of potteries' craft centers or their working places,
exhibition and sale of pottery art works, citizen-making of hard earthen slab for
EXPO, or 10th Citizen Walk Competition.
For the first time, I participated in 6th Travel around Akazu - Parents’Home of
Kilns and visited some of the potteries or wholesalers of earthenware.
It is strange for citizen in Seto to say, but I can not find any word other than
wonderful. or the like. This is evidently Parents’Home of potters. Kozeto Road,
Ofuke Road, Chikura Road and Oribe Road join at a crossing, Oomatsu.
In the range within radius about 200m placing this crossing as the center, there are
38 potteries, 4 wholesalers of earthenware, Akazu ware building and 1 glass studio.

It will take about a full two days to see the above places satisfactorily. I made a filed
trip to 11 places including Akazuware Buidling for about 4 hours. With this, I was
fully satisfied.

Please see the photos arranged in order of my walk for the atmosphere.

Parking lot:
Seven (7) temporary parking lots
One in front of Akazu Nursery School (most convenient. Parking capacity about 30)
Playground of Tomei primary school (plenty of parking capacity; recommendable)
Some potteries have their own parking lots.

Access time: about 10 minutes by car from Seto City Hall

History of Akazuware:
(Cited partially from the pamphlet placed at a pottery, Kitagama/ Kasentouen)
Akazu region, eathern end of Seto City is hometown of Akazuware where high
temperature-fired pottery or earthenware started in Japan.
Akazuware has been brought up by the history of the pottery exceeding 1000 years
in Akazu-village until it merges with Seto-town in 1925. The technology is inherited
continuously till today.　The kiln for pottery around here is called one of the six old
kilns for pottery in Japan.

The history of earthenware in Seto area including Akazu region is old, and comes out
at clause "New Year the fifth, 815 in the year of , Kojin" in a historical record book
titled "Nihon-Kouki". The investigation on the old kiln revealed that Sueki-ware,
produced in these old kilns designated as official kiln in Seto area, reached very high
level, and covered almost all demand from Nara or Kyoto, capital in old Japan from
710 (begining of Nara Era) through 1185(end of Heian Era).
In Heian Era, earthenwares with ash glaze were fired for the aristocracy. But when
the capital was ruined, the ones with ash glaze disappeared and instead unglazed
earthenwares prevailed. From 1185 (Kamakura Era) again, earthenware with glaze of
ash or iron came to be fired, and "Ko-Seto golden age", generally spoken, came.

In Kamakura Era (1185 - 1333), among the six oldkilns, only Seto area (in pat of
Echizen-old kilns, earthenware with ash glaze were found recently) used glaze.
The reason seemes to be that this area enjoies good material for glaze as well as
good china clay or kaolin.

In about 800, almost all area in Japan fired earthenware without glaze. While, various
products of Akazuware were fired with iron glaze as well as ash glaze.
Instruments for living were diversified to things such as pot, jug, jar with four ears,
flower vase for Buddha or incense burner. In Heian Era, potters moved to one place
after another in search of clay or firewood, and led the life without fixing nature
and kiln was moving. Since the potters were established at last at this time,
the community was made and they strove for production. So, technology and
technique progressed very much.

Various vessels, such as a teacup, a temmoku glaze (iron glaze) small plate, a jar,
a flower vase for Buddha, and a shallow flower basin, are made. Discovery of the
materials for iron glaze called "Oniita clay"(Oniita literally translated into
"ogre plate") mined from the whole Seto district made meaningful time in history
for this district.
The pottery appealed beauty of glaze and pattern by applying ash glaze and iron glaze.
Such pottery were found in many various vessels unearthed from old kilins in Akazu
area. Unlike the monotonous construction and pattern till then, they(construction and
configuration of pattern) became complicated. For example, the construction expanded
to spatula engraving, figure-seal carving, sticking, convex belt (a kind of sticking),
thousand figure streaming (eye of comb).
The pattern expanded to several tens of kinds such as chrysanthemum, goban, ume
(Japanese apricot) bowl, blue sea wave or arabesque.

In Muromachi (1336 - 1573) and Azuchi-Momoyama Era (1568 - 1598),
military commander, Oda Nobunaga protected and promoted the industry of eartenware
in Seto area which was depressive because almost all potters dispersed from Seto area
in the Age of Civil Wars (1467 - 1568). Thanks to his policy, , the pottery industry
of Seto became prosperous and furthermore, potteries for tea ceremony such as Oribe,
Shino, and Ki-Seto, came to be briskly fired with development of the tea ceremony
accompanying the bloom of the Momoyama culture. The style of kiln changed from
"Ana-gama" (kiln where ceiling is made after digging a mountain slope) to "Ground style
Renbou-gama" (kiln with continuously made chambers on the ground), having
accomplished a big change. The great portion of various glaze of Akazuware
came to be fired by this time.

In the year 15 of Keicho Era (1610), feudal lord of Owari Tokugawa clan, Mr. Yoshinao
Tokugawa (Mr. Ieyasu Tokugawa's child) called to Akazu village (present Akazu, Seto City)
for revival of Akazu kiln, the potter who had come out to other districts to avoid war.
In the year 2 of Genwa Era (1616), Yoshinao Tokugawa invited into Nagoya Castle, two
potters in Akazu village, Nihei and Tousaburo, to build a kiln at "Ofuke-maru" (a place
inside the castle) for firing "Oniwa-yaki"earthenware. Later, Tahei, potter in Akazu
joined and the three potters were called the big three or "Okamaya".

Akazuware have been fired in same way as ancient technology and technique. This is
because the above big three "Okamaya" were going to Nagoya Castle to fire
"Oniwa-yaki" until "Oniwa-yaki" had been abolished at a law of replacing "Han"
(feudal domain) with "Ken" (Prefecture) in Meiji Era. This should reflect support from
great Tokugawa Clan. Different from "Oniwa-yaki", "Ofuke-yaki" earthenware was
instructed by Mr. Chin Gen Pin (naturalized Japanese from China). "Ofuke-yaki" was
fired wtih light blue ash glaze and with decoration manner called "Annan-Gosue".
This light blue ash glaze is called "Ofuke-yu" considred to be most difficult one of
the glazes in Akazuware.

In "Oniwa-yaki" earthenware firing style, elegant earthenwares for government
offices were fired not only with the said "Ofuke-yu" but also various glazes such as
"Oribe", "Shino", "Ki-Seto", "Ko-Seto", "Tetsu-Yu"(iron glaze) or "Kai-Yu"
(ash glaze). At the same time, said eartenwares were fired in Akazu village where
the big three or "Okamaya" were living.. Morita diary written by a warrior of the
domain of Tosa, Kyuuemon Morita shows that he dropped in Akazu village on his way
to Edo (Tokyo) in the year of Enpo 9 (1678) , and he foud out that earthenware
mortar, a kind of jar (for example, jar for pickled ume) called "Handou", jar without
handle, the teacup, etc were fire in this village. So, it is presumed that potters
other than "Okamaya"potters were firing utensil for daily use actively.

Around the end of Edo era, child of the 8th Tahei, Suntai Kato was born at Akazu village,
inherited his parent's house at the age 5, and became "Okamaya". His technique ranged
over every field of potteries and was called master hand in modern times. The glazing
technique of the existing Akazuware was revived and advanced by him.
The traditional technique was taken over to the potters in Akazu. Mr. Tokuro Kato
（See Note 7）describes in a book "Original Color Pottery Great Dictionary" that he
freely used glazing technique in the other pottery produing districts as well as the
present technique, technology and glazes of Akazuware to produce potteries and that
the forming technique of potteries by a wheel is unprecedented and unique.
Furthermore, he restored "Oribe" glaze which temporarily declined and brought
about the present prosperity. This "Oribe" is called in general "Akazuyaki-Oribe"
which carries unexampled and profound feeling.

Nowadays, many potteris are called nationwide by giving the name of production on
the head of earthenware. In the time when earthenwares were identified by giving the
name of kilns on the head of earthenware , Akazuware are shown in old historical
document called "Karatsu-kiln collecting history" of 1686. In this document, the names
of the kilns in and around Seto and Akazu are written like "xxxx-Kiln", and also there
is a sentence describing "Earthenwares fired at Akazu were named Akazu-yaki
(Akazuware) after the name of a potter, Mr. Akazu.

Blessed clay and materials for pottery under long historical background, potteries of
Akazuware such as art works of pottery, tea set, flower vase or utensil for daily use
have been fired with seven (7) color's glazes and twelve (12) decoration manners
such as spatula digging or flower-shape seal.　　　　　　

Note：
１　Mr. Shunto Kato is designated by Aichi prefecture as intangible cultural asset of human,
　　and makes the works of ceramic art mainly with Seto's traditional glazes such as
　　ash glaze, Ofuke, Oribe, Shino or Ki-set. (You can browse him on internet by searching
　　with word, "Shunto Kato" )
２　In Akazuware building, presented were about 50 sets of works of pottery coordinated for
　　table setting , placing the vessel fired with glaze, "Seto-Oribe" at the center, on the
　　theme of "Hospitality and Seto-Oribe". Photos show some of the works.
３　The size of pot after firing becomes about 85% of the one before.
４　The wholesaler is located along Chikura road near crossing, Oomatsu. In the rather
　　average space of the gallery, Shino glazed pottery utensils such as coffe cup were
　　displayed neatly. I found a garden and the path that seemed to open into the home and
　　followed the path. In the rooms, works of pottery by potters were exhibited for sale.
　　The prices are rather reasonable, and I bought a tea cup, pottery glazed with "Akane-
　　Shino" which was fired at Sentarou-kiln by Mr. Hidetake Ando, intangible cultural asset
　　of human designated by Tajimi city.　　
５　Part of works of pottery by Mr. Yasuo Terada, who is called one of 100 ceramic artists
　　supporting the Japanese ceramic art community in the 21st century.
　　Gold color pumpkin-shaped work of pottery and the work at left hand side are articles
　　of excellent workmanship. It seems to be difficult to distinguish between the works and
　　pure gold. (You can browse him on internet by searching with word, "Yasuo Terada" )　　
６　Seizan-kiln is owned by Mr. Masafumi Yamaguchi, 5th generation of potter. Daily utensils
　　of pottery with the use of glazes, "Kuro-Oribe" or "Seto-Guro" were exhibited for sale.
　　Fascinated by the beauty and the attractiveness, but supprised at the prices, I was about
　　to leave this place. Then, the fragrant aroma of coffee hung in the air, and I asked where
　　the aroma came from. The answer was 'The home is near here. Only in this event, the
　　home is changed to coffee shop where coffee is served with use of coffee cup glazed by
　　"Kuro-Oribe" (\250 or :about $2).' I was very pleased to learn that, and had coffee out of
　　the cup shown in the middle on the table (See photo 10). This home is opened to the
　　public as a coffee shop twice a year.
７　Mr. Toukurou Kato(1897 - 1985) - part of his personal history
　　(Partially quoted from a book titled "World of Toukurou Kato" published by Nihon Keizai
　　Shinbun, Inc. on 1982)
　　1897 Born in Mizuno village, Higashikasugai-gun, Aichi prefecture (Mizuno-chou, Seto).
　　Age, 16: takes over the right on his father's kiln, "Maru-gama", and begins pottery
　　manufacturing business.
　　18: unable to adjust to the manner of first priority on profit, and fail to the management.
　　20: embraces Christianity and gets married.
　　29: devotes himself to independent (self supporting) ceramic artist.
　　34: delivers a bowl to Houryuji Temple.
　　35: participates in editing Great Pottery Dictionary.
　　39: takes out a pot "Einin-no-Tsubo"from his kiln.　　
　　43：finishes Great Pottery Dictionary complete in 6 volumes　(published by Hounsha)
　　44：opens his first one man exhibition, "New Pottery Works glazed with Sino and Oribe"
　　　　 (Takashimaya department store at Nihonbashi, Tokyo). In this opportunity, he enjoys
　　　　 favor of Yasuzaemon Matsunaga（pen name, "Jian").
　　46：Fourth son was killed by a bomb in mobilization of students for the front.
　　　　Third daughter is born..
　　47：His second son was killed in China and his younger brother in Burma (the Union of
　　　　Myanmar) in the war.
　　49：His father dies.
　　52：organizes " New Japan Tea Ceremony Study Circle"with Mr. Yasunari Kawabata,
　　　　Nobel prize winner in literature.
　　53：Picasso, French painter and carver pays attention to the works of the vessels for
　　　　Japanese style cuisine( 6 pcs) during traveling exhibition in southern France.
　　54：1st intangible culttural asset of human designated by Japan (living national treasure)
　　　　(in pottery glazed with Oribe). He exchanges his work with Picasso's work which is
　　　　presented to Seto city.
　　56：organizes " Tourikai" with Mr, Toyozo Arakawa .and the others.
　　59：perform signing ceremony as the Japan side representation in holding "Japan Applied
　　　　Fine Arts Exhibition" at the Soviet Union ambassador to Japan in commemoration for
　　　　restoration of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Soviet Union. 　　　　　　　
　　62：Einin affair happens in August. Coming back from Europe in October, he resigns all
　　　　 public jobs, and devotes himself to making potteries.
　　63：Mr. Kuwahara, Aichi prefectural governer names the pottery bowl newly fired with
　　　　the glaze, Shino as "Pride of Aichi" , which is further named as "Iwashimizu"(meaning
　　　　spring water from rock) by Yasuzaemon Matsunaga ("Jian").
　　66："Japanese Eartenware the nineth volume Seto/Tokoname" published. (by Tankousha)
　　72："The complete works of Tea Ceremony Fine Art the third volume Bowl for Japanese
　　　　 Dish"published.
　　74："Original Color Pottery Great Dictionary published
　　75："Pottery System the twelveth volume Oribe" published.
　　76：　In August, talks with　Mr. Shikou Munakata over seeing cormorant fishing at Inuyama.
　　　　　In September, "Toukurou Shino Bowl" published
　　　　　In October, "Earthenware in Japan Seto" published　
　　78："Modern Ceramic Art the sixth volume Toukurou Kao/Rozanjin Kitaooji/
　　　　　Haniko Kawakida" published
　
　　79：　Collection of work "Toukurou Kato" published.
　　81：　"Japanese Eartenware - Modern Great Potter the tweoveth volume Toukurou Kato"
　　　　　published.
　　　　　In July, Tea bowl potter glazed with Shino named as "Murasaki-nioi" (meaning "
　　　　　as if purple is rising" - remarked by this web page writer) by Mr. Masaaki Tatehara.
　　82：　"Toukurou Kato" published.(World Culture Co.)
　　83：　 "Murasaki-nioi" published in collaboration with Mr. Masaaki Tatehara.
　　　　　(by Koudansha)
　　　　　In May, his personal history is published serially on the column,"personal history" on
　　　　　Nihon Keizai Shinbun (Japan's Big Newspaper specialized for economic)
　　　　　In Octoer, "The complete works of Modern Japan Ceramic Art the eleventh volume
　　　　　Toukurou Kato" published.(by Shueisha)
　　84：　"Autobiography - Labyrinth of Earth and Flame" published.
　　　　　(by Nihon Keizai Shinbun, Inc)

　　
８　Glaze of Akazuware：　explained from left to right on the photo.　
　　( After citing from the pamphlet placed at a pottery, Kitagama/ Kasentouen, partially
　　　modified and summarized)
　　Ash glaze
　　In the early of Heian Era (about 800), pottery eating utensils with ash glaze were fired
　　at "Ana-gama kiln" for the aristocracy. Melted ash glaze are seen only at the one side
　　in the early years. Ash glaze is natural one.
　　Iron glaze
　　From the early of Kamakura Era (1330's), potteries with iron glaze which uses "Mizuuchi-
　　clay" or "Oniita-clay" were fired. Tea things such as vessel for including tea were made,
　　and Ko-Seto golden age arrived. Various decorating techniques such as Flower-Sticking
　　or Flower-stamping are developed.
　　Koseto
　　From the early of Kamakura Era (1330's), potteries with Koseto glaze have been fired.
　　Koseto glaze is one kind of Iron glaze, and features in galze of "dark brown in black".
　　Koseto glaze have been largely used for tea things such as vessel for including tea.
　　"Koseto-Chaire"(vessel for including tea) is famous.
　　Oribe
　　From Momoyama Era(ab1598) to early in Edo Era (ab1700), Oribe glaze was used for
　　tea things . At that time, Oribe glaze included Shino, Narumi and Seto(Seto-guro,
　　Kuro-Oribe, Oribe-guro)-enote. At present, Oribe includes Kuro-Oribe, Ao-Oribe, Aka-
　　Oribe and E-Oribe, and generally referrs to Ao-Oribe only. Kuro-Oribe is categoralised
　　into Iron glaze. In potteries with Aka-Oribe glaze, pattern(s) are drawn with white clay
　　on red clay as basic pottery material, and after that, iron color painting is drawn.
　　In potteries with E-Oribe glaze, only Oribe pattern is drawn and fired with Ash-white
　　glaze. There is debate on the origin of Oribe, Mino district or Seto. To avoid war in the
　　Age of Civil Wars (1467 - 1568), and many potters in Seto flowed out to Mino. One of
　　them was Mr. Kagemitsu Kato who is said to have learned pottery making technique at
　　Akazu in the year of Tenshou 2 (1575) to establish Hisajiri-kiln at Mino in the year of
　　Tensho 11 (1584). In almost same time, potteries with the glaze such as Oribe, Shino or
　　Ki-Seto were fired in both Seto and Mino district.
　　Shino
　　In Momoyama Era(1570's - 1598), only feldspar was used as material for Shino glaze.
　　In Hiromi area, eastern part of Mt. Sanage, there are holes where feldspars were digged.
　　In Akazu, west of Mt. Sanage, there are holes where feldspars were digged. Pottery with
　　Shino glaze in Mino area is called generally "Aka-Shino"(Red Shino) because the work
　　becomes red due to feldspar glaze which includes many iron. While, Shino glaze in Akazu
　　area is called generally "Shiro-Shino"(White Shino) because the work becomes white
　　due to feldspar glaze which includes little iron.
　　Ki-Seto
　　A kind of iron glaze. Content of iron by percentage is about 10 % and pottery with
　　Ki-Seto glaze shows beautiful yellow on the face. In Momoyama Era, it was mainly
　　used for tea things, but also for plate, bowl , etc. In 1501, "Hichihoubunhirazara" was
　　fired at "Akazu-Shirasaka-Gama" kiln.
　　Ofuke
　　Owari Tokugawa clan, feudal lord of Owari district (Aichi pref.) built a kiln at garden
　　called "Ofuke-maru" inside Nagoya Castle to fire potteries called "Bishu Oniwa-yaki".
　　In 1638, they took into this castle from Edo (Tokyo) Mr. Chin Gen Pin (naturalized
　　Japanese from China) to let him instruct at "Goyou-gama"which is the kiln specialized
　　to make the works for government offices. Decoration manner called "Annan-Gosue"
　　was taught by him for the first time. Pottery fired in reduction wtih light blue ash glaze
　　and with applying the decoration, "Annan-Gosue" is called "Ofuke", and the one fired
　　in oxidation is called "Annan" or "Annante". The glaze ,a kind of ash glaze, was found
　　early in Heian Era (about 800).

Work１	Work２	Work３	Work４

Work５	Work６	Work７	Work８

Work９	Work１０	Work１１	Work１２

４　Guide board for glazes hung on the entrance of Kita-kiln(Kasen-Touen) 　（Note８）	５　Heading for Oribe Street	６　Hasemoto-kiln (Rokubee-touen) Making pottery on a wheel

７　Rokubee-touen Pot before （left） and after （right）firing （Note３）	８　Yamachou-touen （wholesaler of ceramics）（Note４）	８　Yamachou-touen some of exhibits

１　Mr.Shunto Kato's home （See Note １）	２　Kikutouen	３　Akazuware Bldg

９　Bizan ceramic art school Gallery（2F）（Note５）	１０　Seizan-kiln Mr.Masafumi Yamaguchi　（Note６）