SAKE blog

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Ceramics ware in Japan is separated in 4 articles, please go to the article from the link below 

Ceramics ware in Japan -East Japan-

Ceramics ware in Japan -Middle Japan-

Ceramics ware in Japan -West Japan-

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What do you enjoy Japanese Sake? Cups? Glasses? or Ceramics?

 These Days, people enjoy Japanese Sake in wine glasses more and more, but traditionally Japanese people have been enjoying Sake with ceramics ware. It is depending on the type of Sake to choose vessels to enjoy with, but especially with Jukushu 熟酒 style Sake you can enjoy more to feel Japan and the locality. Some of the Sake lover even choose and match where Sake and ceramics made in.

 This time ikki deliver information about famous ceramics where in Japan, focusing on South of Japan this time.

 

Famous production area of ceramics ware South

There are 28 places where have their own production method and originality in ceramics. In South of Japan, (Oita, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kagoshima) there are 7 places as below;

 

Oita prefecture

Onta Yaki 小鹿田焼

Onta Yaki is a pottery produced in the small village in Oita called Sarayama. The design of Onta Yaki is like folk art. The base of the pottery is  coming from red soil in the area, and glaze to make patterns in earth color, so genuine and wild. The village is registered as national heritage and the scenery is protected as it has been.

 

Fukuoka prefecture

Takatori Yaki 高取焼

Takatori Yaki is produced at the foot of Takatori mountain in Fukuoka prefecture. The location of Takatori Yaki has been moved twice, and the style has been changing as the location changes. The feature of Takatori Yaki is the fact the pottery is thin and light. In addition they have original glazing and have identical patterns and color on it.

 

Agano Yaki 上野焼

Agano Yaki is the pottery from Fukuoka prefecture. The main production of Agano Yaki was for tea ceremony, so it is also thin and light. The representative design of Agano is called “Rokusho nagashi”, and they use original blue glaze. Today, there are variety of glaze which makes Agano Yaki more colorful.

 

Saga prefecture

Karatsu Yaki 唐津焼

Karatsu Yaki is from Karatsu city in Saga prefecture. It is so-called “Tsuchi mono” and it means the design is very simple and you can feel the taste of soil from the pottery. The concept of Karatsu Yaki is 80% by producer, 20% by consumer, and this pottery is designed to be used not to display only.

 

Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki 有田焼・伊万里焼

Arita Yaki / Imari Yaki is a porcelain produced in Arita cho in Saga prefecture. Arita and Imari are same. In the past, this porcelain was called Arita to Japanese people and they had been shipped from Imari and exported porcelains were called Imari Yaki. Nevertheless, today we differentiate the terms according to the production location. If the porcelain is produced in Arita, it is Arita Yaki, if it is from Imari, it is Imari Yaki. They had been same, so the features are mostly the same. Firstly the white surface. Today there are more variety of design, but most of traditional Arita Yaki are always white surface. Secondly the durability. So that some part of Arita Yaki are like art, but also used as daily porcelains at the same time.

 

Nagasaki prefecture

Mikawachi Yaki 三川内焼

Mikawachi Yaki is a porcelain from Sasebo area in Nagasaki. Pigment called Gosu is used to paint on the white porcelain surface in Mikawachi Yaki. The pictures on the surfaces are called “Karakoe”唐子絵 and famous for the softness and curvy pattern.

 

Kagoshima prefecture

Satsuma Yaki 薩摩焼

Satsuma Yaki is a pottery and porcelain from Kagoshima, and there are 3 types which are Kuro Satuma(pottery), Shiro Satsuma(pottery) and porcelain. Shiro Satsuma is light yellow colored pottery and mostly produced fro ornaments. Kuro Satsuma use dark soil containing iron and put patterns by glaze. Kuro Satuma is ideal for the cups for Shochu, as Kagoshima is very famous for sweet potato shochu. Porcelain is not much produced today.