A charming [ Seto-yaki ] green tea pot with a cute chili pepper pattern.

SINGAMA and Seto Sometsukeyaki

Shingama is a pottery in Seto, founded in 1919. Beginning with dyed lacqerware-based pottery – ceramics with pictures painted using "gosu" paint or iron oxide paint – and with "sometsuke pottery" as our concept, we have created many attractive products up to the present.

Seto is a region with such a long history that Setomono has become synonymous with pottery.

Ceramics began in this area as long ago as the Heian period in the eleventh century, and ever since we succeeded in mass producing glazed pottery, we have been named as the biggest pottery production area in Japan.

The birth of "sometsuke" (indigo dyeing) in Seto was in the early 19th century.

At that time, the pottery of Seto was only earthenware ceramics and was exposed to competition from the porcelain produced in the Hizen area (Saga/Nagasaki), and the production of porcelain was an issue. Kato Tamikichi, called the "porcelain founder" of Seto, took the mass production method of porcelain that he had learned in Kyushu and established it in Seto, and was the first to perfect "sometsuke-yaki" as Seto porcelain.

Sometsuke is a method in which a pattern is drawn by using a pigment mainly composed of cobalt oxide called "gosu" on a white substrate, fired after applying a glassy glaze, and the pattern is colored indigo.

The indigo coloring from the gosu will change for each potter depending on the base material, glaze, and baking method.

We are particular about selecting our soil, glaze, and gosu in order to make a more beautiful contrast between white and indigo. Incorporating a firing method unique to the Seto region called "Nerashi" – keeping the temperature high for a certain period of time gives a liquid blue – is another one of its features.

For painting, we utilize a technique called "dami," which is a characteristic of dyeing.

Gosu is poured out from a large, thick brush like from a syringe and is painted on the surface of the porcelain.

As in ink painting, the variety that can be expressed with the various shades of blue using the single color of indigo is beauty not found in other pottery. Only the skill of craftsmen learned over many years can make the beauty of indigo really stand out.

In 1997, Seto Sometsuke-yaki was designated as a traditional craft item by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

It is highly appreciated, not only domestically but also overseas, for the delicate shape of the products and the beauty of the paintings.

As we continue to pass on the techniques of Seto sometsuke in the future, we hope to carry on making this table-top artwork with new methods and sophisticated designs.

Shinya KATO

Biography

Born in grilled pottery dated 1952 Seto dyed "Makotokama". Third generation.

Take over the kiln as 1980, the third generation Somezukekamaya Makotokama kiln main thought

As we'll forever peace of mind to your use, green body building, blue and white porcelain, glazing, firing and are produced wholeheartedly until out of sight.

Good part

Design polite work of zaffer that taking advantage of the shape of the vessel