Japanese Pottery Articles

Clay-covered hands trimming the inside of a bowl turning on the wheel with a wooden rib, an identical finished bowl waiting behind

Living National Treasures: Japan's Greatest Pot...

Japan’s world-class ceramic quality is sustained by two key official honors: "Traditional Craftsmen," certified by METI to anchor regional pottery industries through rigorous 12-year expertise, and "Living National Treasures," designated...

Living National Treasures: Japan's Greatest Pot...

Japan’s world-class ceramic quality is sustained by two key official honors: "Traditional Craftsmen," certified by METI to anchor regional pottery industries through rigorous 12-year expertise, and "Living National Treasures," designated...

Side-by-side close-ups: a milky Hagi teapot covered in fine crazing on the left, the unglazed underside of a Bizen piece on the right

Bizen vs Hagi: Two Opposite Ideas of Wabi-Sabi

In the world of Japanese tea ceremony and craft, Hagi and Bizen wares represent two distinct, yet profoundly connected, philosophies of Wabi-Sabi (the beauty of imperfection). Hagi ware, arising from...

Bizen vs Hagi: Two Opposite Ideas of Wabi-Sabi

In the world of Japanese tea ceremony and craft, Hagi and Bizen wares represent two distinct, yet profoundly connected, philosophies of Wabi-Sabi (the beauty of imperfection). Hagi ware, arising from...

Unglazed wood-fired plates seen close from above, one crossed by pale scarlet straw lines over red-brown clay while ash has settled ochre and speckled black on the rims of the others

Yōhen (kiln transformation)

Yohen is the dramatic transformation of glaze colour caused by the chemistry of flame, atmosphere, and temperature during firing. Yōhen produces unpredictable blues, purples, and reds from a single glaze...

Yōhen (kiln transformation)

Yohen is the dramatic transformation of glaze colour caused by the chemistry of flame, atmosphere, and temperature during firing. Yōhen produces unpredictable blues, purples, and reds from a single glaze...

A petal-rimmed Ko-Imari plate on a black lacquer tray, indigo reserve panels over a scarlet ground with gold detailing and a floral roundel at the centre, dried white flowers beside it

Arita Ware: Japan's First Porcelain, 400 Years On

Established in the early 17th century in Saga Prefecture, Arita ware marks the historic birth of Japanese porcelain. Renowned for its translucent white slip, exceptional durability, and clear metallic ring,...

Arita Ware: Japan's First Porcelain, 400 Years On

Established in the early 17th century in Saga Prefecture, Arita ware marks the historic birth of Japanese porcelain. Renowned for its translucent white slip, exceptional durability, and clear metallic ring,...

A giant ceramic tanuki standing on a street corner in Mashiko, wearing a straw hat and raising a sake flask, a large amber-glazed jar at its feet and a red antique-village sign behind

Mashiko Pottery: Where Japanese Folk Craft Stil...

Originating as a rustic stoneware kiln in the 19th century, Mashiko ware was transformed into a globally renowned craft by the legendary potter Shoji Hamada and the Mingei (Folk Art)...

Mashiko Pottery: Where Japanese Folk Craft Stil...

Originating as a rustic stoneware kiln in the 19th century, Mashiko ware was transformed into a globally renowned craft by the legendary potter Shoji Hamada and the Mingei (Folk Art)...

Tajimi pieces against a dark wall: a fluted white porcelain vase holding a single branch, a petal-rimmed small dish, a black-glazed shallow bowl and a faceted white cup on a grey surface

Tajimi: Where Contemporary Mino Ceramics Are Made

Situated at the heart of Japan's largest pottery-producing region, Mino ware, Tajimi boasts over a millennium of ceramic history. The city's unique identity thrives on the coexistence of industrial mass...

Tajimi: Where Contemporary Mino Ceramics Are Made

Situated at the heart of Japan's largest pottery-producing region, Mino ware, Tajimi boasts over a millennium of ceramic history. The city's unique identity thrives on the coexistence of industrial mass...