Japanese ceramics and pottery
From Global Knowledge Compendium of Traditional Crafts and Artisanal Techniques
Japanese Ceramics and Pottery
Alphabetical list
- Agano ware (上野焼) – Tea ceremony ware from Fukuoka Prefecture, introduced by Korean potters.
- Aka Raku (赤楽) – Red-glazed Raku ware used in tea ceremony.
- Aka Shino (赤志野) – Red Shino glaze variation from the Mino tradition.
- Akazu ware (赤津焼) – Aichi Prefecture; part of the Seto tradition with diverse glaze types.
- Arita ware (有田焼) – Saga Prefecture porcelain, Japan’s first domestic porcelain production.
- Banko ware (萬古焼) – Mie Prefecture; heat-resistant stoneware, famous for teapots.
- Bizen ware (備前焼) – Okayama Prefecture; unglazed stoneware, one of the Six Ancient Kilns.
- Echizen ware (越前焼) – Fukui Prefecture; sturdy, rustic ware, one of the Six Ancient Kilns.
- E-Shino (絵志野) – Shino ware decorated with painted iron-oxide designs.
- Export Satsuma – Decorative Satsuma ware made for export markets.
- Hagi ware (萩焼) – Yamaguchi Prefecture; soft-glazed stoneware, valued in tea ceremony.
- Hasami ware (波佐見焼) – Nagasaki Prefecture; porcelain for everyday use, linked with Arita.
- Hirado ware (平戸焼) – Nagasaki Prefecture; fine white porcelain with cobalt blue designs.
- Imari ware (伊万里焼) – Porcelain exported from Imari port, overlapping with Arita production.
- Izushi ware (出石焼) – Hyōgo Prefecture; high-quality white porcelain.
- Kakiemon ware (柿右衛門様式) – Arita ware with distinctive polychrome overglaze decoration.
- Karatsu ware (唐津焼) – Saga Prefecture; rustic stoneware with iron-oxide decoration.
- Kasama ware (笠間焼) – Ibaraki Prefecture; versatile folk pottery.
- Ki-Seto (黄瀬戸) – Yellow-glazed Seto ware style.
- Ko-Imari (古伊万里) – Early period Imari porcelain.
- Ko-Kutani (古九谷) – Early Kutani ware with bold polychrome designs.
- Kuro Satsuma – Black-glazed Satsuma ware.
- Kutani ware (九谷焼) – Ishikawa Prefecture; brightly colored overglaze enamels.
- Kyō ware (京焼) – Kyoto city pottery, also called Kiyomizu-yaki.
- Mashiko ware (益子焼) – Tochigi Prefecture; folk craft stoneware.
- Mikawa ware (三河焼) – Aichi Prefecture; rustic jars and hibachi braziers.
- Mino ware (美濃焼) – Gifu Prefecture; umbrella term for Shino, Oribe, and Seto styles.
- Muji Shino (無地志野) – Plain white Shino glaze style.
- Nezumi Shino (鼠志野) – Gray Shino glaze with iron brushwork.
- Ohi ware (大樋焼) – Kanazawa; hand-molded Raku-type pottery for tea ceremony.
- Onta ware (小鹿田焼) – Ōita Prefecture; folk pottery with slip decoration.
- Oribe ware (織部焼) – Mino tradition; green copper glaze and asymmetrical designs.
- Raku ware (楽焼) – Kyoto; hand-molded pottery for tea ceremony.
- Satsuma ware (薩摩焼) – Kagoshima Prefecture; glazed earthenware with intricate decoration.
- Seihakuji (青白磁) – Bluish-white porcelain, inspired by Chinese Qingbai ware.
- Seto ware (瀬戸焼) – Aichi Prefecture; one of the Six Ancient Kilns, wide variety of glazes.
- Shigaraki ware (信楽焼) – Shiga Prefecture; unglazed stoneware, one of the Six Ancient Kilns.
- Shido ware (志度焼) – Kagawa Prefecture; local folk pottery.
- Shidoro ware (志戸呂焼) – Shizuoka Prefecture; ash-glazed folk pottery.
- Shino ware (志野焼) – Mino tradition; white feldspathic glaze, sometimes with decoration.
- Shiro Satsuma – White-glazed Satsuma ware.
- Soma ware (相馬焼) – Fukushima Prefecture; crackle glaze and “running horse” motif.
- Takatori ware (高取焼) – Fukuoka Prefecture; refined tea ceremony ware.
- Tamba ware (丹波焼) – Hyōgo Prefecture; one of the Six Ancient Kilns, natural ash glazes.
- Tenmoku (天目) – Dark iron-glazed tea bowls, inspired by Chinese Jian ware.
- Tobe ware (砥部焼) – Ehime Prefecture; white porcelain with bold cobalt designs.
- Tsuboya ware (壺屋焼) – Okinawa; Ryukyuan tradition, often for large storage jars.
- Yohen Tenmoku (曜変天目) – Rare iridescent Tenmoku glaze effect.
Table representation
| Ware | Main Period(s) | Location (Prefecture/Region) |
|---|---|---|
| Agano ware | Early Edo period (17th century) | Fukuoka Prefecture (Tagawa) |
| Aka Raku | Momoyama – Edo period | Kyoto |
| Aka Shino | Momoyama period (late 16th century) | Gifu Prefecture (Mino) |
| Akazu ware | Kamakura period onward; flourished in Muromachi – Edo | Aichi Prefecture (Seto) |
| Arita ware | Early Edo period (from 1616) | Saga Prefecture (Arita) |
| Banko ware | Edo period (18th century); revived Meiji period | Mie Prefecture (Yokkaichi) |
| Bizen ware | Heian origins; peak in Kamakura – Muromachi; Edo continuation | Okayama Prefecture (Bizen) |
| Echizen ware | Late Heian – Kamakura period; one of the Six Ancient Kilns | Fukui Prefecture (Echizen) |
| E-Shino | Momoyama period | Gifu Prefecture (Mino) |
| Export Satsuma | Meiji period (19th century, export boom) | Kagoshima & Kyoto workshops |
| Hagi ware | Early Edo period (from 1604) | Yamaguchi Prefecture (Hagi) |
| Hasami ware | Early Edo period (from 1599) | Nagasaki Prefecture (Hasami) |
| Hirado ware | Edo period (especially 18th century) | Nagasaki Prefecture (Hirado) |
| Imari ware | Edo period (17th–19th centuries) | Saga Prefecture (exported from Imari port) |
| Izushi ware | Edo period (18th century onward) | Hyōgo Prefecture (Izushi) |
| Kakiemon ware | Early Edo period (mid-17th century) | Saga Prefecture (Arita) |
| Karatsu ware | Momoyama origins; flourished in Edo | Saga Prefecture (Karatsu) |
| Kasama ware | Edo period (late 18th century) | Ibaraki Prefecture (Kasama) |
| Ki-Seto | Momoyama period | Aichi/Gifu Prefecture (Seto–Mino) |
| Ko-Imari | Early Edo period (17th century) | Saga Prefecture (Arita/Imari) |
| Ko-Kutani | Early Edo period (mid-17th century) | Ishikawa Prefecture (Kutani) |
| Kuro Satsuma | Edo – Meiji period | Kagoshima Prefecture (Satsuma) |
| Kutani ware | Edo period (from 1655); revivals in Edo & Meiji | Ishikawa Prefecture (Kutani) |
| Kyō ware (Kiyomizu-yaki) | Momoyama – Edo period | Kyoto |
| Mashiko ware | Edo period (19th century); developed further in Meiji | Tochigi Prefecture (Mashiko) |
| Mikawa ware | Edo period | Aichi Prefecture (Mikawa) |
| Mino ware | Momoyama period (Shino, Oribe, Seto styles); continues in Edo | Gifu Prefecture (Mino) |
| Muji Shino | Momoyama period | Gifu Prefecture (Mino) |
| Nezumi Shino | Momoyama period | Gifu Prefecture (Mino) |
| Ohi ware | Edo period (from 1666) | Ishikawa Prefecture (Kanazawa) |
| Onta ware | Edo period (18th century); still produced | Ōita Prefecture (Hita) |
| Oribe ware | Momoyama period | Gifu Prefecture (Mino) |
| Raku ware | Momoyama period (from 1580s) – Edo and beyond | Kyoto |
| Satsuma ware | Late 16th century origins; expanded Edo – Meiji | Kagoshima Prefecture (Satsuma) |
| Seihakuji | Edo period | Various kilns (influenced by Seto & Arita) |
| Seto ware | Heian origins; Kamakura – Muromachi; flourished Edo | Aichi Prefecture (Seto) |
| Shigaraki ware | Kamakura origins; one of the Six Ancient Kilns | Shiga Prefecture (Shigaraki) |
| Shido ware | Edo period | Kagawa Prefecture (Shido) |
| Shidoro ware | Muromachi – Edo period | Shizuoka Prefecture (Shidoro) |
| Shino ware | Momoyama period | Gifu Prefecture (Mino) |
| Shiro Satsuma | Edo – Meiji period | Kagoshima Prefecture (Satsuma) |
| Soma ware | Edo period (late 17th century) | Fukushima Prefecture (Sōma) |
| Takatori ware | Momoyama period (late 16th century); flourished Edo | Fukuoka Prefecture (Takatori) |
| Tamba ware | Heian origins; Kamakura – Muromachi; flourished Edo | Hyōgo Prefecture (Tamba-Sasayama) |
| Tenmoku | Kamakura – Muromachi (tea culture) | Originally imported from China; Japanese production in Seto/Mino |
| Tobe ware | Edo period (18th century) | Ehime Prefecture (Tobe) |
| Tsuboya ware | Edo period (17th century, Ryukyu Kingdom) | Okinawa Prefecture (Naha) |
| Yohen Tenmoku | Kamakura period (imported Chinese examples; extremely rare in Japan) | Chinese origin; preserved in Japan (Kyoto temples) |
