Shizuhata-yaki is pottery fired in Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City. According to tradition, it began in the early Edo period when 太田七郎右衛門, a retainer of the Tokugawa family, was granted shuin-chi (land granted by vermilion-seal certificate) at the foot of Mt. Shizuhata (Shizuhatayama) and the title 'Shizuhata-yaki' by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was then residing at the castle in Sunpu. It is said to have flourished thereafter as an official kiln (purveyor kiln) of the Tokugawa family. However, toward the end of the Bunsei era, a great flood of the Abe River washed away the kiln site, and the ware died out for a time. A movement to revive it arose in the Meiji era, and it was brought back to life by 青島庄助, a potter invited by Shizuoka Prefecture. Later, the second generation of the 青島 family introduced the techniques of Tokoname-yaki, and the third generation adopted nanban-style firing and the underglaze copper red (yuriko) technique, developing it into a distinctive pottery of its own. It is well known for Onifuku, a good-luck piece shaped like an ogre-faced roof tile (onigawara) on the outside and a 'fuku' (good fortune) face on the inside. Today the fifth generation of the 青島 family continues making pottery at 秋果陶房, and Shizuhata-yaki is a Shizuoka Prefecture Designated Local Traditional Craft.
Origin
The origins of Shizuhata-yaki go back to the early Edo period. According to tradition, 太田七郎右衛門, a retainer of the Tokugawa family, received from Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was then residing at the castle in Sunpu, shuin-chi with a yield of 25 koku at the foot of Mt. Shizuhata, along with the title 'Shizuhata-yaki'. The kiln is then said to have flourished for generations as an official kiln for the Tokugawa family, Sunpu Castle, Kunozan Toshogu Shrine and Sengen Shrine. Mt. Shizuhata is the mountain that stretches behind Shizuoka Sengen Shrine.
History
In the late Edo period, toward the end of the Bunsei era, the Abe River flooded catastrophically and the kiln site was washed away, bringing Shizuhata-yaki to an end. In the early Meiji era 太田萬治郎 attempted to revive it, and in the mid-Meiji era Shizuoka Prefecture invited the potter 青島庄助. 青島庄助 kept Shizuhata-yaki alive until passing away in Meiji 45 (1912). The second generation, 青島五郎, introduced the techniques of Tokoname-yaki, and the third generation, 青島秋果, adopted nanban-style firing and underglaze copper red, raising it into pottery rich in local character.
Features
Shizuhata-yaki of the Edo period was fired at a low temperature of about 900°C; the glaze did not bond well with the clay, and the ware is said to have been fragile. Today's Shizuhata-yaki is characterized by a firing style called nanban-style and by yuriko and shinsha (copper red), in which copper is fired in a reducing atmosphere to bring out a red color. Its representative design, Onifuku, is a vessel shaped like an ogre-faced roof tile on the outside with a 'fuku' face painted on the inside. It has been handed down as a good-luck item, with the ogre representing protection against evil and the 'fuku' face representing blessings.
Techniques
Underglaze copper red (yuriko) and shinsha
A firing method that brings out a red color by using materials containing copper and firing them with the kiln in a reducing state with little oxygen. In Shizuhata-yaki, the third generation, 青島秋果, introduced yuriko, and together with nanban-style firing it became a technique that shapes the present-day style.
Onifuku
A vessel shaped like an ogre-faced roof tile on the outside with a 'fuku' face painted on the inside, and the representative design of Shizuhata-yaki. It comes in forms such as sake cups and small bowls. The ogre's face signifies protection against evil and the 'fuku' face signifies blessings, and it is loved as a good-luck item.
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Artisans & Workshops
秋果陶房
A Shizuhata-yaki kiln in 柳町, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City. The fifth generation of the 青島 family, which revived Shizuhata-yaki in the Meiji era, carries on the tradition while also taking on new approaches to pottery-making. The workshop always has 500 to 600 pieces of Shizuhata-yaki on display and for sale.
How to Buy
- 秋果陶房
- The kiln's workshop always has 500 to 600 pieces of Shizuhata-yaki on display and for sale. It is open from 10:00 to 17:00 and closes on irregular days. It is a good idea to call ahead before visiting.
- 駿府楽市
- A craft shop in ASTY静岡西館 at JR Shizuoka Station. Shizuoka City lists it, together with 秋果陶房, as a place to buy Shizuhata-yaki. It also carries other crafts from the city, such as Suruga Bamboo Sensuji Ware and lacquerware.
Hands-on Experiences
秋果陶房
静岡県静岡市葵区柳町95
The workshop offers tours and hands-on classes in making Shizuhata-yaki. Advance reservation by phone is required, and groups of up to 40 people can be accommodated. Pieces made during the experience are sent to you after firing.
FAQ
Q. What is Onifuku?
A. It is a Shizuhata-yaki vessel shaped like an ogre-faced roof tile on the outside with a 'fuku' face painted on the inside. The ogre's face represents protection against evil and the 'fuku' face represents blessings, and it has been handed down as a good-luck item. It is known as the representative design of Shizuhata-yaki.
Q. Why did Shizuhata-yaki die out at one point?
A. Because the kiln site was washed away by a great flood of the Abe River toward the end of the Bunsei era in the late Edo period. Later, in the Meiji era, 太田萬治郎 and the potter 青島庄助, who was invited by Shizuoka Prefecture, worked to revive it. The 青島 family has carried on the craft to this day.