Japanese pottery dates back to Neolithic times. Over the centuries, many potters have distinguished themselves and found a place for themselves in history.
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By the 6th century BCE, Japanese potters were making coiled pots. They would mold clay rope and coil it into various pot shapes and then bake them over an open fire. This is known as Jomon pottery.
By the 4th century AD, a roofed tunnel kiln type began to emerge. This was built into a hillside, and potters’ wheels became common. This anagama kiln could create stoneware. By the 8th century, potters had created a three color lead glaze technique which allowed them to make more colorful pottery.
Japan began importing pottery from China and Korea between the 11th and 16th centuries. They made special orders from China to fit their tastes. During their wars with Korea in the 1590s, they abducted many Korean potters and took them back to Japan.
As the centuries passed, many different periods developed for pottery. Tea implements were a primary need from potters, and many styles emerged. By the Edo period, they used porcelain quite a bit. They learned a lot about porcelain from the Chinese.
In the mid to late 1800s, Japan went through an industrialization process. By World War I, there were three potters who influenced the rest of the designs of that period: Kusube Yaichi (1897-1984), Hamada Shoji (1894-1978) and Kawai Kanjiro (1890-1966). By World War II, many potters were more interested in sculptural forms. Today, there is another movement known as the Heisei period. It began in 1989 and continues to this day. Pottery is useful for everyday use, or for collecting.
