Description

What are Kyoyaki and Kiyomizu ware?

Kyo-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki are ceramics produced in and around the city of Kyoto. Originally, Kyoyaki was the generic name for pottery made in Kyoto, and Kiyomizu-yaki was the name for pottery made on the approach to Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

Today, the main production areas are Hiyoshi, Gojozaka, Uji's Sumiyama, Sennyu-ji, Hebigaya, and Yamashina's Kiyomizu Danchi, and the pottery produced by these kilns is called Kyo-yaki or Kiyomizu-yaki.

The characteristic of Kyoyaki and Kiyomizu ware is that, unlike those from other regions, they use a variety of techniques to produce a wide variety of pottery. Each kiln has its own unique characteristics, and many types of pottery are produced, including colored ceramics, blue and white ceramics, tenmoku, celadon, and kohiki.

In addition to tea ceremony and flower arrangement, Kyoto also has a variety of traditional arts and culture such as "Kodo," which is the art of burning incense wood and appreciating the aroma that rises from it, as well as Kyoto's unique Kyoto cuisine and Japanese sweets. Kyoto pottery and Kiyomizu pottery have developed together with these traditional Japanese cultures.

Even today, when mass-produced products have become the norm, Kyoto pottery and Kiyomizu pottery still maintain the tradition of being made by hand and have established an unshakeable position as representative Japanese ceramics.

History

Kyoto has a long history of pottery production, dating back to the Nara and Heian periods (710-794), and production of pottery flourished in the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1603), when the tea ceremony became popular. Many kilns produced Awataguchi-yaki, Raku-yaki, and Oshikoji-yaki, and this is said to be the beginning of Kyoto-yaki.

In the early Edo period (1603-1868), excellent master potters appeared, and Kyoto ware developed dramatically in the modern era. Nonomura Ninsei, a potter from Tanba, perfected brilliantly colored pottery, and Ogata Kenzan, the younger brother of the painter Ogata Korin, collaborated with his older brother to produce masterpieces using his own unique designs.

In the latter half of the Edo period, Okuda Eisen succeeded in firing porcelain. In the late Edo period, Okuda Yingsen succeeded in firing porcelain, and master craftsmen such as Aoki Mokube, Ninami Dohachi, and Eiraku Hozen appeared and produced many masterpieces.

In the Meiji period (1868-1912), they adopted European pottery making methods and expanded their business overseas. While preserving the traditional techniques from ancient times, Kyoyaki and Kiyomizu-yaki have added new charms and continue to produce a wide variety of high quality ceramics.

General Production Process

The first step is to knead the clay well by hand. Air is removed to make the hardness uniform, and the clay is carefully rubbed to increase its stickiness. Since Kyoto does not produce potter's clay today, clay from Shigaraki, Amakusa, Iga, Seto, etc. is imported and used for making porcelain. Kaolin, wood-joint clay, silica stone, and feldspar are added to the pottery clay, and frog-eye clay, kaolin, silica stone, pottery stone, and feldspar are added to the porcelain clay.

There are three molding methods: "potter's wheel molding," "twist molding," and "casting.

In the "potter's wheel" method, earth is placed on the center of a rotating wheel and molded by centrifugal force while letting the earth absorb water. There are several types of wheel: the hand wheel, the kick wheel, and the machine wheel. This is a molding method that requires a high level of skill by craftsmen.

Twist molding" is a method of molding clay by twisting it with fingertips and a bamboo spatula. It does not use a potter's wheel and is considered to be the simplest method.

Casting is a process in which clay is mixed with water and sodium silicate to form a muddy paste, which is then poured into a plaster mold. This method can be used to mold a large number of delicately shaped pieces or pieces of the same type.

After drying in the shade for several days, when the molded product is half-dry, it is ready for the finishing process. A table called a "sitter" is placed on the wheel, and the molded product is placed upside down on it. While rotating the wheel, a metal canner or bamboo spatula is used to carve out the high base and finish the entire piece. The piece is then decorated with finishing tools and left to dry in the sun.

4. unglazed pottery After drying in the sun, the pottery is unglazed before it is fired. After drying in the sun, the pottery is unbaked before being fired.

Underglaze painting is done before the main firing. Using metals and pigments such as gosu, which produces an austere blue color, and iron oxide, it is painstakingly hand-painted with brush strokes.

Glazing is the process of applying glaze, such as colored, transparent, or glossy glaze. The firing process produces colors, transparency, and luster.

This process, as well as the modeling process, is important in determining the appeal of the finished pottery.

This is the process of firing the glazed pieces in a kiln at high temperature. Instead of the traditional climbing kiln, gas or electric kilns are now the mainstream. There are two types of firing: oxidizing firing and reducing firing, and they are selected according to the desired texture.

This is the process of painting after the main firing. All kinds of metal pigments are used for painting and coloring with a fine brush. Gold and silver are also applied in the process of Joetsuke.

After overglaze firing, the piece is fired again at a low temperature. This process is used to bring out the color and luster of the pigments and to prevent them from peeling off. The firing is done with a piece of glaze called "shikomi" and a thermometer to see how the glaze melts. After firing, we wait for the kiln to cool down and then remove it from the kiln.

What is the Lucky Cat?

It is said that a cat raising the right hand (front leg) invites good luck, and a cat raising the left hand (front leg) invites a person (customer). Some people raise both hands, but many people dislike it, saying, "If you are too greedy, you will not be able to hurray." Generally, as shown in the photo, it is a three-haired cat, but in recent years, the color of the ground has become a tradition. In addition to the typical white, red, and black, there are also pink, blue, and golden ones, and the meanings differ depending on the color, such as "academic improvement," "traffic safety," (blue), and "love" (pink). In old Japan, the black cat is regarded as a symbol of amulet and good luck as a "lucky cat" for reasons such as "you can see even at night", and the black beckoning cat has the meaning of amulet and amulet. In addition, red beckoning cats have the meaning of preventing illness because it has been said that red is a color that smallpox and measles dislike. Also, the fact that the character of fortune is written upside down indicates the arrival of a similar kanji from there as it defeats fortune.

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