Image: Wikimedia Commons
Kyo-yaki / Kiyomizu-yaki is a general term for the porcelain and pottery representative of Kyoto, and its greatest characteristic is that it is not bound to any single style, with each maker expressing their own individuality. The first pottery in Kyoto is said to have been fired around the Kan'ei era (1624-1645) at Awataguchi in Higashiyama, known as "Awataguchi-yaki." When the tea ceremony flourished during the Momoyama period, various tea utensils and vessels, including Raku ware, began to be made throughout the city. In the Edo period, master craftsmen such as Nonomura Ninsei, Ogata Kenzan, Okuda Eisen, and Aoki Mokubei appeared one after another, firmly establishing the status of Kyo-yaki. The name comes from the kilns of the Gojozaka and Kiyomizu districts along the approach to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Unlike other pottery-producing regions, there are no strict rules governing clay, technique, or painting style, and each potter's individuality is respected. Today, the main production areas are Gojozaka and Chawanzaka in Higashiyama Ward, the Kiyomizu-yaki Danchi in Yamashina Ward, and Sumiyama in Uji City.
Origin
The first pottery fired in Kyoto is said to date to around the Kan'ei era (1624-1645) at Awataguchi in Higashiyama, and was called "Awataguchi-yaki." As the tea ceremony flourished in the Momoyama period, Raku ware, tea utensils, and vessels began to be made throughout the city, prized as gifts for tea masters, nobles, feudal lords, and temples and shrines. The name "Kiyomizu-yaki" comes from pottery fired at kilns in the Gojozaka and Kiyomizu districts, the approach leading to Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
History
In the Edo period, master craftsmen such as Nonomura Ninsei, Ogata Kenzan, Okuda Eisen, and Aoki Mokubei appeared one after another, developing techniques such as polychrome overglaze and underglaze blue and establishing the status of Kyo-yaki. Many kilns and potters later gathered around Gojozaka, passing down techniques while competing to develop their own styles. Around 1962, a collective relocation formed the Kiyomizu-yaki Danchi in Yamashina Ward, Kyoto City, and today "Kyo-yaki / Kiyomizu-yaki" refers collectively to ware produced in Gojozaka and Chawanzaka in Higashiyama Ward, the Kiyomizu-yaki Danchi in Yamashina Ward, and Sumiyama in Uji City.
Features
Kyo-yaki / Kiyomizu-yaki has no fixed style or rules, and its greatest characteristic is the extremely wide range of clay, techniques, and painting styles, including underglaze blue and polychrome overglaze. Because so many kilns gathered in Kyoto, techniques and designs became unique to each potter, producing a diverse range of highly individual works. Items range from tea utensils to everyday tableware, and its official name as a Traditional Craft designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry is "Kyo-yaki / Kiyomizu-yaki."
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Kneading the clay
Air is removed from the clay and its texture made uniform.
- 2
Shaping
The vessel is shaped using a potter's wheel or a mold.
- 3
Bisque firing
Fired once at low temperature to stabilize the body.
- 4
Painting and glazing
Patterns are applied with underglaze blue or overglaze enamel, then glaze is applied.
- 5
Final firing
Fired in a high-temperature kiln to complete the piece.
| Main Production Areas |
|
|---|
Artisans & Workshops
六兵衛窯（清水六兵衛）
A renowned Kyo-yaki family founded at Gojozaka by its first-generation potter in the mid-Edo period. The current head is the eighth generation, working in contemporary styles while carrying on tradition.
Official site →How to Buy
- 清雅堂陶苑
- A Kyo-yaki / Kiyomizu-yaki specialty shop in Higashiyama, Kyoto, carrying everything from tea utensils to everyday tableware.Where to buy →PR
- 五条若宮陶器祭（陶器まつり）
- A pottery market held around Gojozaka every year in early August, featuring stalls selling local Kiyomizu-yaki as well as pottery from across Japan - a summer tradition in Kyoto.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
コトブキ陶春
京都市山科区川田清水焼団地町7-2
Reservation required. Painting experience from around 1,404 yen, hand-forming experience from around 3,024 yen (finished pieces shipped later).
View details →