Karatsu ware
Encyclopedia
is a style of pottery
produced in and around Karatsu
, Saga Prefecture
, Japan
. There are several variations produced in surrounding areas: Takeo Kokaratsu ware (produced in the adjoining city of Takeo
), Taku Kokaratsu ware, and Hirado Kokaratsu ware. There are also varieties based on style: Painted Karatsu, Mottled Karatsu, and Korean Karatsu. Karatsu ware is known for its sturdiness and simple style; and is considered a traditional Japanese handicraft.
Fired in climbing kilns
, Karatsu ware is made from a clay high in iron and can be undecorated or decorated with an iron-based underglaze
, giving an earthy, simple, and natural feeling to the pieces.
There is a famous ancient saying—First Raku, second Hagi, third Karatsu—when referring to ceramic ware used for the Japanese tea ceremony
. It is considered one of the top styles of pottery for use in tea ceremonies in Japan.
production since the Azuchi-Momoyama period
. Today there are many kilns in use as well as ruins of kilns scattered throughout the area in Saga Prefecture. The pottery style draws its name from the location where it is produced.
The techniques used in creating Karatsu ware are believed to have been imported from the Korean peninsula
during the Japanese invasions of Korea during the late 16th century, though some theories suggest the techniques may have been in use prior to this period.
Karatsu ware was originally created for everyday use items such as tableware, pitchers, and other household items. The style is considered a good example of the wabi-sabi
aesthetic, and Karatsu ware bowls, plates, and other implements are often used in tea ceremonies. Pottery in general is often called "Karatsu ware" in Western Japan due to how much pottery was produced in the Karatsu area.
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
produced in and around Karatsu
Karatsu, Saga
is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū, Japan. Its name, formed from the Japanese word roots 唐 kara , and 津 tsu , signifies its historical importance as an ancient trading port between Japan with China and Korea...
, Saga Prefecture
Saga Prefecture
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. There are several variations produced in surrounding areas: Takeo Kokaratsu ware (produced in the adjoining city of Takeo
Takeo, Saga
is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.-Geography:Takeo is located in the western part of Saga Prefecture. It is approximately west of Saga City and approximately east of Sasebo. Takeo has a complex topography including mountains, mountain basins and riverside...
), Taku Kokaratsu ware, and Hirado Kokaratsu ware. There are also varieties based on style: Painted Karatsu, Mottled Karatsu, and Korean Karatsu. Karatsu ware is known for its sturdiness and simple style; and is considered a traditional Japanese handicraft.
Fired in climbing kilns
Anagama kiln
thumb|250px|right|Anagama kiln 1 Door about wide2 Firebox3 Stacking floor made of silica sand4 Dampers5 Flue6 Chimney7 Refractory archThe anagama kiln is an ancient type of pottery kiln brought to Japan from China via Korea in the 5th century.An anagama consists of a firing chamber with a...
, Karatsu ware is made from a clay high in iron and can be undecorated or decorated with an iron-based underglaze
Underglaze
Underglaze is a method of decorating ceramic articles, the decoration is applied to the surface before it is glazed. Because the glaze will subsequently cover it such decoration is completely durable, but because the subsequent glost firing is at a higher temperature than used in on-glaze...
, giving an earthy, simple, and natural feeling to the pieces.
There is a famous ancient saying—First Raku, second Hagi, third Karatsu—when referring to ceramic ware used for the Japanese tea ceremony
Japanese tea ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called . The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called...
. It is considered one of the top styles of pottery for use in tea ceremonies in Japan.
History
Karatsu has been a hub of foreign commerce and trade since ancient times, and a center of potteryPottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
production since the Azuchi-Momoyama period
Azuchi-Momoyama period
The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place. It spans the years from approximately 1573 to 1603, during which time Oda Nobunaga and his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, imposed order...
. Today there are many kilns in use as well as ruins of kilns scattered throughout the area in Saga Prefecture. The pottery style draws its name from the location where it is produced.
The techniques used in creating Karatsu ware are believed to have been imported from the Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
during the Japanese invasions of Korea during the late 16th century, though some theories suggest the techniques may have been in use prior to this period.
Karatsu ware was originally created for everyday use items such as tableware, pitchers, and other household items. The style is considered a good example of the wabi-sabi
Wabi-sabi
represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"...
aesthetic, and Karatsu ware bowls, plates, and other implements are often used in tea ceremonies. Pottery in general is often called "Karatsu ware" in Western Japan due to how much pottery was produced in the Karatsu area.
Styles
A variety of styles of Karatsu ware exist.- Various images (flowers, plants, birds, mythological creatures, etc.) are painted onto the piece using an iron-based underglaze, then the piece is fired with a semitransparent gray glaze which allows the underglaze to show. This style is known for its earthy color and simple design.
- This traditional style was introduced by one or more potters brought from the Joseon DynastyJoseon DynastyJoseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
during the Japanese invasions of Korea. It features a black glaze placed under a white glaze which has been fired with straw. The two glazes run together and give a feeling of opposites.