Japanese Pottery Articles

A hand lifting an ash-glazed katakuchi sake pourer, with a matching guinomi cup on the small table below, against a dark clay wall

Japanese Sake: Types, Temperature and the Righ...

Sake, crafted from rice, koji, and water, offers diverse flavors through temperature and techniques. Elevating this experience is "Shuki" (sake ware). Factors like rim width, thickness, materials (e.g., earthenware, porcelain,...

Japanese Sake: Types, Temperature and the Righ...

Sake, crafted from rice, koji, and water, offers diverse flavors through temperature and techniques. Elevating this experience is "Shuki" (sake ware). Factors like rim width, thickness, materials (e.g., earthenware, porcelain,...

Potter's hand carving a continuous row of marks into the rim of a leather-hard piece with a looped kanna blade

Five Decorating Techniques on Japanese Pottery

Japanese ceramics possess a unique beauty derived directly from the clay, created without relying on painted decorations. This article introduces five traditional techniques: Tobiganna (rhythmic chatter marks), Shinogi (carved vertical...

Five Decorating Techniques on Japanese Pottery

Japanese ceramics possess a unique beauty derived directly from the clay, created without relying on painted decorations. This article introduces five traditional techniques: Tobiganna (rhythmic chatter marks), Shinogi (carved vertical...

Both hands of a potter throwing a bowl on the wheel, clay-wet fingers holding the turning rim while throwing rings spiral inside

How Japanese Pottery Is Shaped: Five Forming Me...

Japanese ceramics vary greatly in appearance and texture depending on the shaping technique used. Based on the 11 steps from clay kneading to firing, this guide explains five representative techniques:...

How Japanese Pottery Is Shaped: Five Forming Me...

Japanese ceramics vary greatly in appearance and texture depending on the shaping technique used. Based on the 11 steps from clay kneading to firing, this guide explains five representative techniques:...

A hand lifting a bisque plate out of a glaze bucket in a workshop, wet glaze running off the rim in a thread

Japanese Pottery Glazes: The Main Types Explained

Japanese ceramics may share the same shape, yet each piece possesses a unique color and texture. This article explains the basics of "glaze" (yuyaku), the key element that defines their...

Japanese Pottery Glazes: The Main Types Explained

Japanese ceramics may share the same shape, yet each piece possesses a unique color and texture. This article explains the basics of "glaze" (yuyaku), the key element that defines their...

Mino plates on a dark wooden table: two octagonal plates in pale blue and white porcelain stamped with fine motifs, and a white petal-rimmed plate carved with radiating flutes

Mino Ware Guide: Oribe, Shino and Japan's Bigge...

Accounting for approximately 50% of Japan’s domestic ceramic production, Mino ware from Gifu Prefecture is the ultimate cornerstone of the Japanese dining landscape. Rather than a single style, it represents...

Mino Ware Guide: Oribe, Shino and Japan's Bigge...

Accounting for approximately 50% of Japan’s domestic ceramic production, Mino ware from Gifu Prefecture is the ultimate cornerstone of the Japanese dining landscape. Rather than a single style, it represents...

A kamagaki wall in Seto, built from discarded saggars and kiln shelves, its face set with round ceramic discs in many colours like flowers

Seto Ware: The Kiln Town That Named Japanese Po...

Seto ware, originating from Seto City in Aichi Prefecture, is the ultimate namesake for Japanese ceramics (Setomono) with over a millennium of continuous production. It stands out among Japan’s Six...

Seto Ware: The Kiln Town That Named Japanese Po...

Seto ware, originating from Seto City in Aichi Prefecture, is the ultimate namesake for Japanese ceramics (Setomono) with over a millennium of continuous production. It stands out among Japan’s Six...