SETO & MINO POTTERY
Seto City in Aichi Prefecture is one of the six ancient
pottery centres of Japan and became recognised as such
during the Kamakura period (1158-1333). However,
the history of ceramics in Seto dates back to the Heian period (794-1185),
with the creation of Akazu-yaki ware, a type of pottery where the clay could
be glazed in a number of different ways before it was fired. Evidence of nearly 500
medieval kilns has been found in the area and their production consisted of
jars, vases and mortars. Seto was the only ancient centre that fired glazed
pottery and so it developed its own range of wares and was the first in Japan to produce tenmoku glazed
wares. The soil of the area contains large quantities of porcelain clay and
silica and the original forests provided fuel for the kilns.
Also included in this section is Mino Pottery that is produced nearby in Gifu Prefecture. The styles are similar and
overlap, as Mino was ruled and influenced by Seto warlords in the late 16th century.
WORK IN STOCK
Please note that potters names are shown with the family name first as is
usual in Japan.