Kasamayaki
The industrial history dates back to the Edo period, but in Kasama, there are remnants of pottery from the Jomon and Yayoi periods, as well as kiln sites used from the Nara to the Heian periods, showing that pottery making has been practiced here since ancient times.
Throughout history and across the world, pottery has always been an integral part of human life. It seems to evolve beyond being merely a material or tool, becoming a catalyst that stimulates our senses over time. It also represents a flexible vessel that embraces the human instinct to "create."
In this small pottery region of North Kanto, the history has been shaped by countless artisans, pottery merchants, artists, and gallerists through their hands.
Kasama and Nature,
the Waves of Time and Kasamayaki.
Kasama is a town nestled in the mountainous countryside surrounded by gentle low mountains, located almost in the center of Ibaraki Prefecture. It has been a pottery region in northern Kanto since the Edo period and is also one of Japan's leading producers of small chrysanthemums, chestnuts, and Inada White Granite (Mikage-ishi). As it lies in the region where various crops are grown, from their southern limit to their northern limit, a wide variety of produce can be harvested throughout the four seasons.
Mikage-ishi, scientifically known as granite, is formed deep underground where magma cools and solidifies slowly. While pottery and Granite may seem like separate products at first glance, the clay in Kasama is formed from the weathering of this granite, establishing a relationship akin to that of distant siblings.
The Origins of Kasamayaki,
which began
in the Edo period.
It is said that during the An'ei era of the Edo period, Hanuemon Kuno started "Hakodayaki" and Kanbei Yamaguchi started "Shishidoyaki," which are considered the origins of Kasamayaki. Mainly household items such as jars and mortars were produced.
The lords of Kasama, Sadaharu Makino (1758-1822) and Sadanao Makino (1831-1887), valued pottery making and actively protected and encouraged it. The kilns designated by Sadanao for the domain's official kiln, called "Shiho Kiln," to increase production and pass down pottery techniques to future generations, still exist today, continuing to maintain their fires.
When the kiln's temperature reaches its peak, flames spout from the chimney, creating a fantastic sight.
Overcoming
Economic Downturns
and Evolving into
Art Forms.
Kasamayaki, which expanded its market through the efforts of pottery merchant Tomosaburo Tanaka during the Meiji era, quickly gained recognition. However, it faced a decline due to economic hardships from the late Taisho period to the early Showa period, the impact of World War II, and the rise of resin and metal products, leading to a crisis of survival.
To break through such circumstances, the Ibaraki Prefecture Pottery Guidance Institute was established in 1950 with the aim of conducting broad research on pottery and nurturing talent. Additionally, from 1963 to 1972, government and private sectors collaborated to launch initiatives to attract artists from across the country. Residential complexes for artists were developed to accommodate many migrants.
As migrant artists and local pottery workshops and artists interacted, they inspired each other, deepening their exchanges. This led to the emergence of innovative expressions and techniques, resulting in pottery being crafted as art pieces. Designation as a traditional craft by the government provided further momentum, reviving vitality in the region once again, leading up to the present day.
Contributed to the expansion of Kasamayaki's market.
Developing into Contemporary
Kasamayaki While
Continuing to Create
New Expressions
and Inherit Tradition.
It is sometimes joked that "the characteristic of Kasamayaki is having no characteristic," but this signifies the unprecedented diversity of expression nurtured by Kasamayaki, which has repeatedly revived itself by respecting the work of its predecessors while embracing the new waves of the times.
From traditional Kasamayaki to contemporary expressions using Kasama clay, as well as new techniques born from various materials, the greatest feature of Kasama as a production area is the diverse "faces" of pottery that can be observed.