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Traditional ceramics, potteries, porcelains in Japan

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Overview of Japanese Ceramics
Traditional ceramics, potteries, porcelains in Japan

1. Prehistory

Two completely different types of ancient earthenwares are unearthed in Japan. The one is called Jyomon Doki and the other one is called Yayoi Doki. Jyomon Doki is older than Yayoi Doki. The reason why the transition from Jyomon to Yayoi happened has not been clear yet. One thing we can know from the change is some dynamic social change occured in the same time. For example, the change from collecting to cropping, a religious ware to a practical ware, one ethnic group to the other one, or etc. Anyway, Jyomon Doki and Yayoi Doki have completely different shapes. The former has excessive decorations, and being emotional. On the other hand, the latter is more practical and simple, seems robbed the social function of art or religion by other new wares. Okamoto Taro(1911-1996) said that the origin and the true nature, the passion of Japanese people is in Jyomon Doki, not Yayoi Doki.

2. Earthen ware / Stone Ware

Features of Yayoi Doki are passed down to Sueki, which continued to produce in the recorded history. Sueki can be called the origin of Japanese traditional potteries. Today, Suzu Yaki (Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture) remains the features of Sueki. Bizen Yaki (Bizen, Okayama Prefecture) develops an earthen ware to an art. Echizen Yaki (Echizen, Fukui Prefecture), Shigaraki Yaki (Shigaraki, Koka, Shiga Prefecture) and Tokoname Yaki (Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture) have also remained a smell of an earth.

3. Pottery

Pottery and Sado

What polished and putted up Japanese ceramic wares is Sado, the Japanese way of tea established in the Momoyama Period, 16th century. Sado is developed from merely the manner of drinking tea, to the composite art. Chajin, who love drinking teas and being engaged into Sado, put much intensity into everything surrounding them when they drink teas, such as cups, tea-things, pictures, vases and flowers, rooms, huts and lodges, gardens, dining, etc., and put own personal philosophy into them.

Compare to modern European craftsmen or today's Japanese craftsmen, the past Japanese craftsmen were not so eager to achieve an individual artistic creation, and an artistic trend coming up from it. Instead, artistic creations achieved by Chajin influence and decide the direction of the past Japanese potteries and their works.

Senno Rikyu

Senno Rikyu is a founder of Sado. His sense of a beauty is called Wabi Sabi, a value of simplicty and essentiality of life and nature with triming artifact, and influence Japanese pottery determinately. You can feel this sense with Raku Yaki (Raku Art Museum), Hagi Yaki (Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture), Karatsu Yaki (Karatsu, Saga Prefecture).

Furuta Oribe

Furuta Oribe is a disciple of Sennno Rikyu, and embody 'Doing different things from the others.', the words given by Rikyu. His sense of a beauty can be described as pleasantness of originality. You can touch this feeling with Mino Yaki (Mino, Gifu Prefecture), Seto Yaki (Seto, Aichi Prefecture). These two production areas accommodated Chajin's demands in each age; wares of the Oribe likes called Oribe Gonomi. You can enjoy the other forms of potteries in these productions, such as Shino Yaki, Kizeto, Setoguro.

Nonomura Ninsei

Nonomura Ninsei is a craftman who succeeded to produce a red color on potteries for the first time in Japan, and established colorful pictorial expressions on potteries: Nonomura Ninsei works. You can enjoy his sense of the beauty with Kyo Yaki (Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture).

Mingei

Yanagi Munuyoshi, who is a thinker and artist in the Meiji period, propounded You no Bi, the sense of a beauty in the practical craftworks making and using by nameless commoners. The movement is called Mingei. Famous craftmen of Mingei are Hamada Shoji and Kawai Kanjiro. You can feel this sense of a beauty with Mashiko Yaki (Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture).

4. Porcelain

In 1616, porcelains started to produce in Arita, Saga Prefecture. Arita Yaki, also called Imari Yaki, developed as Japanese original porcelains, and got the world reputation in each age. Their skills spread to the other production areas in Japan. See Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki Page for more details on.

Sometsuke

When porcelains started to produce, only blue colors could be discribed on them. Because of its pleasant expressions, even now the blue color porcelains, Sometsuke, are produced. You can see them in Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki (Arita, Saga Prefecture, Imari, Saga Prefecture), Seto Yaki (Seto, Aichi Prefecture), etc.

Kutani

When a variety of colors could be described on porcelains, the old kutani style developed. Today, you can see its taste on Kutani Yaki (Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture).

Kakiemon

Sakaida Kakiemon succeeded to produce red colors on porcelains, and established the kakiemon style. It embodied high-quality pictorial expressions on porcelains for the first time. Its sense of a beauty can be described as the beauty of the white space on the margin. You can feel this beauty in Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki (Arita, Saga Prefecture, Imari, Saga Prefecture).

Kinrande

For presents between the riches, and exports for European countries, gorgeous wares used gold leaves, Kinrande, were produced. You can touch the beauty with Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki (Arita, Saga Prefecture, Imari, Saga Prefecture)

Nabeshima

For presents to royalty and the aristocracy in Japan, the royal pottery of Nabeshima kingdom produced this type of porcelains. A balance of gentle blue colors is beautiful. You can touch these items with Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki (Arita, Saga Prefecture, Imari, Saga Prefecture)

Satsuma

In true meaning, Satsuma Yaki (Satsuma, Kagoshima Prefecture) is categoried in potteries, however its whiteness and preciseness can be called 'porcelain'.

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