Ecchu Seto ware is pottery fired in the Seto and Kamisue districts of Tateyama, Nakaniikawa District, Toyama Prefecture - an old kiln unique to Toyama, distinct in both production area and lineage from the 'Seto ware' of Aichi Prefecture. This district has been a center of ancient kiln production firing sue ware since the early Heian period, and it is said that potters migrated here from Owari Seto (Aichi) between the Momoyama period and the Bunroku-Keicho era, founding Seto Village, from which the name Ecchu Seto ware derives. The second lord of the Kaga Domain invited potters from Owari to make tea utensils, and the kiln flourished as an official kiln of the Kaga Domain, known as one of the leading old kiln sites in the Hokuriku region with a history older than Kutani ware. In the Meiji and Taisho eras, the spread of the railway network brought competition from cheaper products of other regions, and many kilns switched to producing roof tiles, but in the Showa era, the pottery-making tradition was revived through the efforts of a local preservation society. The craft's hallmark is its bold, varied glazing achieved with a wide range of local clays - red, yellow, blue, and white - and glazes made from plant ash, and today kilns belonging to 'かなくれ会' (Kanakure-kai) continue a tradition of more than 430 years.
Origin
The Kamisue and Seto districts of Tateyama are said to have been an ancient kiln site firing sue ware since the early Heian period. Between the Momoyama period and the Bunroku-Keicho era, under the patronage of Maeda Toshinaga, potters from Owari Seto - Kojiro, Magoichi, Ichiemon, Hikoemon, and Chohachi - migrated here and founded Seto Village, laying the foundations of Ecchu Seto ware.
History
The kiln developed as an official kiln of the Kaga Domain after the domain's second lord invited potters from Owari to fire tea utensils, becoming one of the leading old kiln sites in the Hokuriku region, with a history older than Kutani ware. In the Meiji and Taisho eras, the spread of the railway network allowed cheaper products from other regions to take over the market, and many kilns switched to producing roof tiles, but in the Showa era, local volunteers formed the Seto Ware Preservation Society and revived pottery production.
Features
Taking advantage of the local soil, which yields red, yellow, blue, and white clays, the ware is characterized by its bold, varied glazing using glazes made from local plant ash. Unlike the Seto ware of Aichi Prefecture, Ecchu Seto ware has developed with its own distinctive clays and glazes rooted in the natural environment of Ecchu, which is what gives it its unique character.
Materials Used
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Artisans & Workshops
庄楽窯（釋永由紀夫）
One of the leading kilns representing Ecchu Seto ware. Known for works that make the most of local white clay, it is active as a central maker within the 'かなくれ会' (Kanakure-kai).
Official site →越中瀬戸焼 かなくれ会
A group of makers formed by Ecchu Seto ware kilns. Several kilns each carry on the tradition while bringing out their own individuality.
Official site →How to Buy
- 越中陶の里 陶農館
- A products and hands-on experience facility in Setoshin, Tateyama, that displays and sells works by Ecchu Seto ware kilns.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
越中陶の里 陶農館
富山県中新川郡立山町瀬戸新31
The hand-forming course costs around 1,600 yen and up per adult, and the painting course costs around 1,100 yen and up. Reservation required; closed on Tuesdays and during the New Year holidays (December 29 to January 3).
View details →FAQ
Q. Is Ecchu Seto ware the same as the Seto ware of Aichi Prefecture?
A. No, they are different kilns. The name comes from potters who migrated from Owari Seto, but Ecchu Seto ware developed in Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture, using its own distinctive clays and glazes, and differs from Aichi's Seto ware in both production area and lineage.