Ikaho-yaki is pottery that began in 1878 (Meiji 11), when the potter Shinoda Senka opened a kiln at Ikaho Onsen in Shibukawa, Gunma Prefecture. Its distinctive method uses yu no hana (hot spring mineral deposit) from Ikaho Onsen in the clay and glaze; because the iron-rich yu no hana is used, the finished pieces take on the rich colors unique to a hot spring town, ranging from yellow and reddish-brown to black. However, when Shinoda Senka passed away, the kiln fires went out, and for a long time Ikaho-yaki became a 'phantom pottery.' Later, the local potter Kogure Tokuro carried out his own research based on old documents and has worked to revive Ikaho-yaki. Today, works are made and exhibited for sale at Tokuro Kiln near the Ikaho Onsen hot spring town, and visitors can also try an electric potter's wheel or painting experience, enjoying the making of a one-of-a-kind piece that makes use of Ikaho Onsen's yu no hana as a travel memory.
Origin
Ikaho-yaki began in 1878 (Meiji 11), when the potter Shinoda Senka moved to Ikaho Onsen in Shibukawa, Gunma Prefecture, and opened a kiln. He focused on the yu no hana that Ikaho Onsen had long produced, and created pottery with the original idea of incorporating it into clay and glaze. However, when Shinoda Senka passed away, no one carried on the technique, and Ikaho-yaki disappeared along with the kiln fires, becoming known for a long time afterward as a 'phantom pottery.'
History
Ikaho-yaki, which had ceased with Shinoda Senka, went unmade for a long period afterward. Later, Kogure Tokuro, a potter born locally in Ikaho, carried out his own research based on books written about Ikaho-yaki and worked to revive it. Kogure Tokuro set up a kiln near the Ikaho Onsen hot spring town and continues to make pottery as Tokuro Kiln, bringing the yu no hana method back to life today. In addition to exhibiting and selling works, the kiln now offers pottery-making experiences that let many people encounter Ikaho-yaki firsthand.
Features
The greatest feature of Ikaho-yaki is that it incorporates the yu no hana of Ikaho Onsen into its clay and glaze. Because the yu no hana of Ikaho Onsen is rich in iron, using it causes the surface of a piece to take on a range of colors - yellow, reddish-brown, black, and more - so that even with the same glaze, no two pieces ever look exactly alike, producing distinctively individual ware unique to a hot spring town. The very idea of making direct use of the hot spring's mineral blessings from the land in pottery-making is itself a quality found nowhere else, making it uniquely characteristic of Ikaho-yaki.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Gathering and blending yu no hana
Yu no hana that forms at Ikaho Onsen is gathered and blended into the clay and glaze. How much of the iron-rich yu no hana is mixed in greatly affects the color the piece develops once fired.
- 2
Shaping
The piece is shaped on a potter's wheel or by hand-forming. At workshops in the Ikaho Onsen hot spring town, visitors can also try shaping on an electric potter's wheel.
- 3
Firing
A glaze kneaded with yu no hana is applied, and the piece undergoes its final firing. Depending on the iron content, it finishes in colors unique to the hot spring town - yellow, reddish-brown, black, and more.
| Main Production Areas |
|
|---|
Artisans & Workshops
木暮陶句郎（陶句郎窯）
A locally born potter who revived Ikaho-yaki. He conducted his own research into the yu no hana method based on old documents, and continues to make pottery at a kiln he set up near the Ikaho Onsen hot spring town.
Official site →How to Buy
- 伊香保焼 陶句郎窯
- A gallery run directly by the kiln near the Ikaho Onsen hot spring town. It exhibits and sells Ikaho-yaki works that make use of yu no hana, and pieces can also be purchased online.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
伊香保焼 陶句郎窯
群馬県渋川市伊香保町伊香保397-11
Reservation required. Electric potter's wheel experience costs around 6,600 yen (45 minutes), painting experience around 3,300 yen (45 minutes), and more. Visitors can also enjoy painting that makes use of the yu no hana of Ikaho Onsen.
View details →