| Shigaraki
ware. Sueki 須恵器 ware was made in this clay-rich area from early times,
but a distinctive ware fired in the Shigaraki Nagano 信楽長野 and Kouyama 神山
villages, in Kougagun 甲賀郡 of modern Shiga prefecture, probably originated
at the end of the Heian period with the production of utilitarian bowls
for seeds tanetsubo 種壷, mortars suribachi 擂鉢, and large storage
jars for liquids. Kamakura period works are rare, but Muromachi period vessels
are far more common. In the late 15th century, tea master Murata Jukou 村田珠光
(1423-1502) favored Shigaraki jars, noted for their peach-blossom color,
large quartz and white feldspar grains, and deep green to reddish-brown
natural ash glazes, the first native Japanese ceramics appropriate for the
*wabi わび style of tea
ceremony. Common vessel types were the *mizusashi
水指 (fresh water jar), *kensui
建水 (waste water jar) and *hanaire
花入 (flower vases). Objects made before 1573 are called ko-Shigaraki 古信楽
(old Shigaraki). The natural, spontaneous beauty of Shigaraki ceramics were
noted in the Momoyama period by the tea masters Sen Rikyuu 千利休 (1522-91),
Furuta Oribe 古田織部 (1544-1615), Kobori Enshuu 小堀遠州 (1579-1647), Katagiri
Sekishuu 片桐石州 (1605-1673) and Sen Soutan 千宗旦 (1578-1658). In 1632 the Shigaraki
kilns were designated as producers of the "official" glazed tea jars in
which were packed the famed leaves from nearby Uji 宇治 for presentation to
the Tokugawa shogun 徳川将軍. The introduction of the climbing kiln led to the
production of a variety of goods at Shigaraki, including eventually charcoal
braziers, hibachi 火鉢, household utensils, ornaments, and gardenware.
Shigaraki wares are distinct in their firing effects which produce scorched
coloring, a thin coat of natural wood ash glaze, and a body stippled with
the contrast between white feldspar grains of Shigaraki clay pulled to the
surface by firing and the ishihaze 石爆 (stone-burst) effect in which
melted feldspar particles create small holes. |
