赤津焼体験Akazu-yaki Forming Experience

I made an application for "Akazu-Yaki pottery Forming Experience" by E-mail
in September, 2005. Then a letter was sent to the effect that I was selected
in a drawing out of many applicants.

Those who were selected are 25 people. They came from Gifu Prefecture, Nagoya
City, Kasugai City, Komaki City, Owariasahi City and the others as well as Seto
City.

Date and time for the Experience : October 22, 2005 (Sat.) 9:00 - 15:00
Place: Akazu-Yaki Kaikan Center (Akazu-Yaki Pottery Forming Room)
　　　　94-4 Akazu-Cho. Seto City TEL 0561-21-6508

≪Reference≫
"Walking Map for Visiting Akazu Pottery" standing at north of "Akazu-Yaki
Kaikan Center"　　　　　　　　　

A part of an Explanation Sheet put on an outside wall of Akazu Pottery Producing
Room＜written by Incorporated Foundation of Traditional Craft Product
Industry Promotion Association＞ says:

＜Start of the Explanation Sheet＞
This project applies to ordinary people such as student and member of society.
This project provides an opportunity where traditional craftsmen and workers
themselves in production area of traditional craft products disclose and explain
traditional technology and technique . This is to let ordinary people understand
deeply need for passing such traditional technology and technique down the
generations and to discover traditional craftsmen in the bud and secure
successors.
＜End of the Explanation Sheet＞

Participants gathered at 8:50 a.m. and traditional craftsmen explained the
history of Akazu-Yaki pottery and the relevant at a small training room from
9:00 a.m..

Six traditional craftsmen (Mr. Umemura, Mr. Kobayashi, Mr. Nakashima,
Mr. Kondo, Mr. Inagaki, Mr. Kato) were introduced, and Mr. Umemura explained
as a representative as follows:

＜Start of Part of Explanation＞
About 1000 Sanage-old kilns were discovered at the foot of Mt. Sanage on
the boundary of Toyota City and Seto City around 1200 years ago and
the excavation to 3m below ground was completed.

Akazu-yaki pottery was designated as traditional craft in 1974 (Showa 59).
At that time, potters in Akazu area used about 35 kinds of glazing agents.
Mr Umemura showed an inside story of why the kind of glazing agents in
Akazu-yaki pottery is 7. That is to say,
Just before the designation of traditional craft for Akazu-yaki pottery, MITI
＜MITI, Ministry of International Trade and Industry was changed to METI,
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Jan., 2001.＞ asked Mr. Umemura
to put the name of glazing agents together . Then he unified to 7 glazing agents
since rainbow came to his mind.

We have 206 traditional crafts in Japan, of which 30 traditional crafts belong to
ceramic section. In all traditioonal crafts, only Seto has no anxiety in procurement
of material.

Among six old kilns in Japan, only Seto applied glazing agents (ash glaze or
iron glaze) to pottery about 1300 year ago. . The reason is that clay in Japan
includes many iron and beomes reddish after being fired. While, Gairome clay
＜"Gairome" is translated literally into "eye of frog"＞ , which is typical clay in
Seto, becomes white after being fired. Such fired body is attractive when
being glazed. This is the reason why study on glazing agents has advanced.

Mr. Oribe Furuta, feudal lord with 10,000 koku of rice ＜1 koku concerted into
180 liter＞ from Gifu Prefectre, used Ao-oribe (blue Oribe) and Shino glazed
pottery for tea ceremony bowl for preference. Therefore, "Ao-oribe (blue Oribe)
and Shino" glazed pottery were called "Oribe-gonomi".

Oribe is classified into Aka-Oribe (red Oribe), E-Oribe (Picture Oribe), Kuro-Oribe
(black Oribe; abundant in iron, and later classfied into Iron-glaze family.) and
Ao-Oribe (Blue Oribe). Among them, Ao-Oribe which includes copper is called
"Oribe" generally.

Iron glaze family includes Hikidashi-Guro(Pulling-Out Black), Oribe-Guro(Oribe black)
and Kuro-Oribe (Black Oribe). Characteristics are found in the firing or situation
where pottery under firing is pulled out.
＜End of Part of Explanation＞

Rokuro forming ＜thrower transform (ｔｈｒｏｗｉｎｇ)＞ and Tatara forming were
experienced this time.
In Rokuro forming, 2 pottery work were made by each participant. Oribe glaze or
Ki-Seto Glaze (Yellow Seto Glaze) were selected by each participant and applied
to the pottery body.
In Tatara forming, 1 pottery work was made by each participant. Ki-Seto g;laze is
applied.

Shrinkage rate after firiing is different in Rokuro forming and Tatara forming, and
about 10 % in Tatara and, 14 % in Rokuro.

The place was moved to Pottery Forming Room, traditional craftsmen performed
Rokuro forming and Tatara forming. All clay for forming are dug up at Seto City.
Main ingredients of the clay is Gairome clay (See Note 1). Detail ingredients of
the clay is know-how and was not disclosed. According to the traditional craftsmen
the clay used for this experience seemed to be of high quality and will be used
by professional potters, different from the clay used for general ceramic art
forming school.
Then participants start to practice. 9 potter's wheel are prepared, and participants
were divided into two groups which are Rokuro forming group and Tatara forming
group. They started to form. While listening to the traditional craftsmen, or being
assisted by them, participants somehow completed to form.

The participants returned to the small training room and took lunch. One hour after
lunch, they made base rest for their pottery, scraped the excessive parts off,
drew pattern, carved name, etc. With the above, the Forming Experience was
completed.
Work after that such as applying glazing agent to or firing of the pottery will be
carried out by Akazu-Yaki Industry Cooperative Society. Practice of glazing is
impossible for one day experience since it will take about 1 week to dry body
although dried body is needed for glazing.

According to the traditional craftsmen, they seem to have event like this time
one until end of this November. The work is expected to completion in this
December. In weekday of December, participants make phone call to "Akazu-Yaki
Kaikan Center"　for confirming the completed date of work and go there to receive.

【Note】
1 Gairome clay is primary clay and used for forming of pottery.
　While, Kibushi clay is secondary clay and used for forming of Novelty such as
　porcelain doll. At present, ceramic industry hardly proudce Novelty in Seto City.
　So, Kibushi clay is scarcely used. Now, Japan and Aichi Prefecture are studying
　on how to use Kibushi clay.
2 Main ingredient of Nigari (bittern) of Soybean curd is plaster..
3 Minus ion producing rate of pottery is higher than that of porcelain.

West of "Akazu-Yaki Kaikan Center"	Nameplate decorated with ceramic Morizo & Kiccoro at the east of "Akazu-Yaki Kaikan Center"	Poster put on front door of Akazu-Yaki Pottery Forming Room

Performance of Rokuro forming (ｔｈｒｏｗｉｎｇ) by traditional craftsmen	Under Rokuro forming (ｔｈｒｏｗｉｎｇ) by participants

Work just after ｔｈｒｏｗｉｎｇ by web writer (before adjustment)	Work with pattern added and adjustment

Under "Tatara forming" by participants	Work of "Tatara forming" by web writer (before adjustment)