Kokuji-yaki is pottery fired in the Kokuji district of Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture. According to tradition, it began in 1813 when Kazo, a potter from Soma (in present-day Fukushima Prefecture), built a kiln in Mikkamachi with the help of a local resident named Jinroku; Jinroku's son, Kumagai Jin'emon, later studied under Kazo and inherited the technique, which has since been passed down through generations of the Kumagai family. Kokuji-yaki has been produced by a single kiln continuously since its founding, making it the northernmost kiln in Japan among those with roots predating the Edo period. It is known for everyday tableware made with local clay, featuring a rustic white glaze (nukashiro-yu) made from straw ash and an amber glaze made with iron sand, and it was highly praised by Yanagi Muneyoshi, the founder of the Mingei (folk craft) movement, during the Meiji era.
Origin
Kokuji-yaki is said to have begun in 1813, when Kazo, a potter from Soma (in present-day Fukushima Prefecture), built a kiln in Mikkamachi with the help of Jinroku, a local resident of Kokuji-Amatanai. Jinroku's son, Kumagai Jin'emon, later studied pottery-making techniques under Kazo, and since then the craft has been passed down through generations of the Kumagai family.
History
During the Meiji era, Yanagi Muneyoshi, the founder of the Mingei (folk craft) movement, visited the area and highly praised the rustic charm of its glazes and simple designs. The tradition nearly died out after the sixth-generation head of the Kumagai family and the fourth-generation head of a branch family passed away, but in 1957 Shimotake Tsuyoshi and Shiyaku Matsuo built a kiln in Kokuji to foster local industry and carry on the technique, which is now in its eighth generation. The kiln is said to be the northernmost in Japan among those tracing their roots to before the Edo period.
Features
Kokuji-yaki is characterized by its use of local clay from around Kuji, combined with a warm white glaze (nukashiro-yu) made from straw ash and an amber glaze using iron sand. Rather than elaborate decoration, the pieces make the most of the rustic expressions created by layered and flowing glazes, focusing mainly on everyday tableware, as well as tea utensils and flower vessels. The traditional technique of finishing each piece by hand on a potter's wheel is still practiced today.
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Artisans & Workshops
小久慈焼陶芸苑
The sole kiln carrying on the Kokuji-yaki technique since its founding in 1813. It was revived in 1957 by Shimotake Tsuyoshi and others, and today the eighth generation produces everything from everyday tableware to tea utensils.
Official site →Hands-on Experiences
小久慈焼陶芸苑 陶芸体験
岩手県久慈市小久慈町第31地割29-1
Reservation required. Pottery classes cost around 1,000 yen for 500g of clay. Open 10:00-15:00. Closed January 1.