Echizen: pottery from the great kilns of Japan

Echizen pottery, originally from Japan, is a beautiful way to create rustic pieces. It draws from the Japanese pottery technique and tradition, cultivated for centuries. Its origin is in one of the great kilns of the country, called Rokkoyo kilns.

I will explain what it consists of and how it is performed.

Echizen ware was born in the region of the same name, in Fukui Prefecture, and is a treasure of Japanese pottery, rooted in a rich history dating back more than 900 years. This pottery is distinguished by its reddish-brown color and rustic texture, the result of its high iron content.
What really defines Echizen Ware is its production without the use of yuyaku, a glaze that provides a vitreous finish, thus allowing the natural beauty of the clay and the firing marks to be presented in a “naked” manner.
The technique of firing with straw and ash, which leaves distinctive patterns on the pieces, is a practice that endures to this day, adding a unique touch to each work.

Echizen Ceramics is the result of an amalgam of traditional and innovative techniques.
These techniques include wheel modeling, which allows for precise control and symmetry of the final product, and “nejidate”, a method that involves wrapping a strip of clay around the piece while twisting it, resulting in unique shapes.

Another interesting technique is the “hagatana stretching”, which smoothes the surface of the clay with a special tool (similar to a knife), and the creation of the mouth of the piece, which is done by stretching and modeling the clay with the hands.

The process culminates with high temperature firing, where the piece acquires its final shape and characteristics. The firing, as I mentioned before, with straw and ash is similar to the Raku technique and achieves that charm in the final piece.

Final conclusions:

Echizen Pottery is a living testimony to Japanese art, a tradition that has overcome the challenges of time to continue to inspire both artists and collectors around the world. Its history as one of Japan’s great kilns, its unique techniques and connection to nature make Echizen Pottery a jewel of Japanese ceramics, worthy of exploration and appreciation.

Cover image: ChawanKama

---

---

---