Echizen ware refers to pottery manufactured in Echizen area, Nyu-gun in Fukui prefecture, mainly in Miyazaki and Oda districts.

Echizen clay is of rich iron content, possesses high fire resistance and is good for unglazed stoneware fired at very high temperature. As is fired at about 1,200-1,300 degrees, the pottery is very hard without [...]]]> Echizen Ware: Characteristics

Echizen ware refers to pottery manufactured in Echizen area, Nyu-gun in Fukui prefecture, mainly in Miyazaki and Oda districts.

Echizen clay is of rich iron content, possesses high fire resistance and is good for unglazed stoneware fired at very high temperature. As is fired at about 1,200-1,300 degrees, the pottery is very hard without water absorption or air hole, just like porcelain. The color changes from black-ash to reddish brown, and sometimes, woods turns out to be natural ash glaze due to the high temperature in the kiln, which are also parts of Echizen’s beautiful characteristics, especially adored by tea masters.

Echizen ware has been used as everyday utensils, such as large jars, wide-mouthed jars and grinding bowls. When making them, potters pile strings of clay by walking around the large pots without using wheels. This unique technique is taken over even now.

>> History

Thanks to the production of rich and fine clay, Echizen developed into [...]]]> Echizen, one of Japan’s Six Old Kilns originates in late Heian period (794-1192). People had already manufactured Sue ware since Nara period (710-794). In accordance with growth of agriculture, people needed more pottery, and then they built the very first kiln in Echizen town.

Thanks to the production of rich and fine clay, Echizen developed into a big pottery locality. In late Muromachi period (1338-1573), they built huge kilns of 30 meters high and 5 meters wide intensively on a hill, and then Echizen became the largest pottery town in Hokuriku area. Jars, wide-mouthed jars and grinding bowls manufactured in Echizen were shipped to the Japan Sea side, and used for a long time.

Echizen had once gone into a decline since middle of Edo period (1603-1867). Although, after Meiji period (1868-1912), people have tried to reincarnate Echizen ware, and as a result, they built Echizen Pottery Village, which enabled Echizen ware to be designated as a Traditional Craft Industry in 1986.

>> Characteristics