Its origins can be traced back to the late 7th or 8th century. A type of pottery called Sue ware was also fired there; initially, seed jars for agriculture were produced, but it is said that during the Asuka period, roof tiles for temples were also made.
During the Azuchi-Momoyama period, when the tea ceremony flourished among samurai, the lord of the Iga-Ueno domain was a man well-versed in tea and pottery, which led to the name of IGA Yaki (Pottery) known throughout Japan, being used for tea ceremony ceramics.
Later, during the Edo period, under the guidance of Kobori Enshu, thin-walled products known as "Enshu Iga" began to be produced, and by the mid-Edo period, the foundation for present-day IGA Yaki (Pottery) production was established.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. The molding process shall be by "tatara molding," potter's wheel molding, or hand-building.

  2. When decorating the base material, the following techniques may be used: line engraving, cloth texture, slip trailing, stamping, Mishima style, spatula marks, Tochiri, "pine bark" or "insect-eaten style".

  3. When painting, the underglaze should be done by hand. In this case, the paint should be either oniita (a type of lacquerware) or gosu (a type of cobalt blue).

  4. When glazing, the method shall be pouring, slip trailing, dipping, overlapping, spraying, or waxing. In this case, the glaze shall be "ash glaze," "lime glaze," or "bronze glaze."

  5. If no painting or glazing is done, the "glassy" effect, fire color, or "scorching" effect will be created by firing in a climbing kiln.

   

  raw materials

  The clay used shall be "Aotake Irome Clay," "Shimagahara Irome Clay," or "Marubashira Clay," or a clay of equivalent quality.

• Work scene

  Work scene

  The defining characteristics of IGA Yaki (Pottery) are its rugged form and the natural patterns (kiln transformations) created in the kiln. The clay used is either a slightly bluish clay mined in the Iga area, such as "Aotake Irome clay," "Shimagahara Irome clay," or "Marubashira clay," or a clay with a similar composition.

  The manufacturing area includes Ueno City, Shimagahara Village in Ayama District, Ayama Town in Ayama District (mainly Marubashi and Makiyama), and Aoyama Town in Naga District, all of which were formerly known as Iga Province.

  Process 1: Original soil mining

  The raw clay is mined in the vicinity of Ueno City, in Marubashi, Makiyama, and Shimagahara in Ayama-cho. Pottery flourished in areas where all the necessary materials, from clay to firewood, could be sourced, and IGA Yaki (Pottery) is no exception. It is also characterized by the use of highly heat-resistant clay, and many earthenware pots were produced.

  

  Process 2: Earth making process

  Clay is made using either elutriation (a process that separates soil particles into groups of different sizes by utilizing the fact that soil particles settle at different rates in water depending on their size) or dry clay (drying the soil, turning it into powder, and then adding water to make clay). Elutricular clay is used to make tableware, while dry clay is used to make pots and other items, but sometimes they are mixed together depending on the product.

  

  Step 3: Shaping (Kiku-neri)

  The air is removed from the clay, and the consistency is adjusted to be uniform. Traditional shaping techniques include wheel throwing, slab building (using molds), and hand-building, but coil building is also used.

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  工程4： 仕上げ

  After drying for a while, handles are attached to the item, the base is trimmed, and decorations are added. When patterns are applied to the base material (such as carvings), patterns called "line carving," "cloth pattern," "slip trailing," "stamped pattern," "Mishima style," "spatula pattern," "Tochiri," "pine bark style," and "insect-eaten style" are used.

  

  工程5： 乾燥

  Dry thoroughly in the sun or in a drying room.

  

  工程6： 焼成

  Bisque firing takes place at 700 to 800 degrees Celsius. For items that are to be decorated, the decoration is done at this stage. The traditional method is "underglaze painting" by hand, using "oniita" or "gosu" as pigments. Glazing is important not only for decoration but also to prevent water penetration and staining. There are various glazing techniques such as "pouring," "slip trailing," "layered glazing," "spray glazing," and "wax removal." Glazes include "ash glaze," "lime glaze," and "bronze glaze." Some items are left unglazed, a technique called "yakishime."

  If no painting or glazing is applied, the pottery is fired in a climbing kiln to produce "glass-like" patterns, "fire-colored" and "scorched" effects. A characteristic decorative method of IGA Yaki (Pottery) is "ash glaze," where ash from the kiln naturally covers the pottery, and the ash melts to create patterns. This results in the powerful, distinctive style of IGA Yaki (Pottery). The final firing takes place in gas kilns, anagama kilns, or climbing kilns. The firing time varies depending on the size and volume of the kiln, but it is generally said to take about 15 to 30 hours in a gas kiln, 4 to 7 days in an anagama kiln, and 4 to 10 days in a climbing kiln.

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  Step 7: Unloading from the oven

  To prevent the finished pottery from cracking due to sudden temperature changes, we wait for the kiln to cool naturally before removing the pieces.

  

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  The origin lies in the pursuit of Old Iga ware.

  Despite being separated from Shigaraki by a single mountain, Marubashi, Ayama-cho, is a remarkably quiet village known for IGA Yaki (Pottery). We visited a craftsman who is pursuing the reproduction of "Ko-Iga," which Yasunari Kawabata described as "the highest rank and most valuable among ceramic flower vases."

   

  What I saw of IGA Yaki (Pottery) from the outside

  Takami Morisato, a craftsman at Koyama Kiln, was born into a family of potters and grew up surrounded by pottery. However, immediately after graduating from school, he worked for an automobile-related company. This was during the period of rapid economic growth, and the automobile industry was a thriving sector. Meanwhile, the main product of IGA Yaki (Pottery) at the time was earthenware pots. Thinking, "Is it really okay to stay at the company forever?", he began to look at IGA Yaki (Pottery) from a new perspective. He realized that in the future, there would be a need for handmade tableware that could be mass-produced and used, and that had a warm, tactile quality. So he returned to Iga and began firing tableware. At the time, there were no kilns that fired tableware, nor were there any climbing kilns that were actually being fired. However, now many kilns fire tableware and are recreating climbing kilns.

  

  At the nearby Traditional Industries Hall

  He is trimming the base of the tea bowl.

  My apprenticeship consisted of kneading clay and making pottery. For the first year, I spent my days kneading clay and my nights making pottery. Kneading clay isn't just about mixing it; the consistency has to be adjusted depending on the size of what you're making, and if it's not the right consistency, you have to start over. Making pottery also required making many pieces of the same size and shape. I learned these things not so much from being taught by my master, but by watching and making them myself.

  

  He is trimming the base of the tea bowl.

  Works born from "arguments"

  The ashtray with a lid in the gallery was created in response to requests from people using air conditioners who wanted one because cigarette ash would fly up. Initially, the lid and body were integrated, but after hearing that it was difficult to clean, it was changed to a design where the lid simply covers the body. When someone mentioned that they were having trouble with ashtrays being kicked over and spilling ash, the designer created a heavy ashtray that wouldn't budge even if kicked. It seems others had the same idea, as several other people also purchased one. "You have to talk to all sorts of people and have debates. If you only think of yourself, you'll only ever see things the way you want."

  

  The ashtray with a lid is simple but full of thoughtfulness.

  The appeal of IGA Yaki (Pottery) is...

  IGA Yaki (Pottery) is characterized by its solid, rugged, yet elegant character. However, in today's era, "good shape" and "lightness" are in demand. This is arguably the opposite of IGA Yaki (Pottery). He makes it when requested, but he doesn't particularly like it himself. The reason is, "You can imitate the size and shape, but you can't imitate the color. There are colors that suit the shape." The brown of the high-fired finish unique to IGA Yaki (Pottery) and the green of the glass glaze created by the ash deposit may best suit traditional broken-bag water pitchers and flower vases. The ash deposit is created naturally in the kiln. "I think the changes in the appearance during firing are better than with other pottery."

  

  Climbing kilns are essential for firing Old Iga ware.

  Creating products that are easy to use and soothe the soul.

  From his mentor, he learned, "Don't create with the mindset of an artist," and "As a craftsman, all you need to do is create things that are easy to use and that soothe people's hearts. If you fire good things, they will naturally spread. Isn't that enough?" Morisato also thinks, "The feelings of the artist don't matter. As long as it brings comfort," and he wants to pass that on to his successor (Morisato's nephew). Of course, it's not enough to just buy it and take it home to display; it's about using it and incorporating it into your life, and that's where the beauty of traditional crafts lies. "It's all the more important in this harsh world."

  

  The gallery displays a variety of works, and it's fun.

  Aiming to recreate Old Iga ware

  Even within IGA Yaki (Pottery) there's a wide variety of shapes and colors these days. Mr. Morisato also sometimes creates pieces that deviate from traditional IGA Yaki (Pottery). However, his origin lies in the pursuit of Old Iga ware. He has been firing pottery for 30 years, trying out various clays and firing methods, but he says he still hasn't been able to reproduce the colors of Old Iga ware. To achieve that color, he continues to search for Iga clay. Even when driving, he can't help but look to the side if he sees any geological strata, but he still hasn't found it. Nevertheless, he said, "If it were easy to find, it wouldn't be fun anymore," and he looked genuinely happy.

  Anecdotes

  Four points to enjoy IGA Yaki (Pottery)

  1. Unglazed, high-fired texture
  IGA Yaki (Pottery) is made by firing without glaze. The clay used in Iga pottery is of high quality, with high heat resistance and a strong, resilient texture. Repeated firings in the kiln result in pottery with a rich, deep character.
  2. Glass glaze created by ash deposits
  The ash from the fallen firewood melts in the high-temperature flames, and also naturally melts from the clay, creating a glass-like glaze called "bidoro."
  3. Spatula marks, mountain cracks, ears
  By adding large cracks, bold distortions, and spatula marks to the well-formed shapes, the vessels are transformed, creating a "beauty of imperfection."
  4. Fire color, charring
  IGA Yaki (Pottery), fired at extremely high temperatures, leaves variations in color on the front and back depending on the intensity of the flames. In addition, the embers left behind by the burnt firewood in the kiln create blackened areas.

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