Shigaraki, Shiga
Encyclopedia
was a town
located in Kōka District
, Shiga
, Japan
.
On October 1, 2004 Shigaraki was merged with the towns of Kōka
, Kōnan
, Minakuchi
and Tsuchiyama
, all from Kōka District
, to form the new city of Kōka
.
As of 2003, the town has an estimated population
of 14,035 and a density
of 85.40 persons per km². The total area is 164.34 km².
The location served as Imperial capital for a few months in 745
, before the transfer to Heijō-kyō
due to a forest fire destroyed the palace (Shigaraki Palace
).
Shigaraki has been famous for pottery making since ancient times. The area is known for its clay beds, and locally mined clay is often used by local potters. Works produced here are known as Shigaraki-yaki. Many local potters use wood fired anagama kiln
s. Many tanuki
statues are also made here.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Kōka District
Koka District, Shiga
was a district located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 147,928 and a density of 267.90 persons per km²...
, Shiga
Shiga Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan, which forms part of the Kansai region on Honshu Island. The capital is the city of Ōtsu.- History :Shiga was known as Ōmi Province or Gōshū before the prefectural system was established...
, 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...
.
On October 1, 2004 Shigaraki was merged with the towns of Kōka
Koka, Shiga (town)
was a town located in Kōka District, Shiga, Japan.As of 2004, the town had an estimated population of 11,630 and a density of 161.89 persons per km². The total area was 49.3 km²....
, Kōnan
Konan, Shiga
is a city located in the southern part of Shiga, Japan. The city was founded on October 1, 2004 by the merger of the towns of Kōsei and Ishibe, both from Kōka District. The total area is 70.49 km²....
, Minakuchi
Minakuchi, Shiga
was a town located in Kōka District, Shiga, Japan. In Edo period, it developed as a post town of Tokaido and a castle town for Minakuchi Castle....
and Tsuchiyama
Tsuchiyama, Shiga
was a town located in Kōka District, Shiga, Japan.On October 1, 2004 Tsuchiyama was merged with the towns of Kōka, Kōnan, Minakuchi and Shigaraki, all from Kōka District, to form the new city of Kōka....
, all from Kōka District
Koka District, Shiga
was a district located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 147,928 and a density of 267.90 persons per km²...
, to form the new city of Kōka
Koka, Shiga
is a city located in the southern part of Shiga Prefecture, Japan....
.
As of 2003, the town has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 14,035 and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 85.40 persons per km². The total area is 164.34 km².
The location served as Imperial capital for a few months in 745
745
Year 745 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 745 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Newly founded Uighur Empire control most of...
, before the transfer to Heijō-kyō
Heijo-kyo
Heijō-kyō , was the capital city of Japan during most of the Nara period, from 710–40 and again from 745–84. The Palace site is a listed UNESCO World Heritage together with other places in the city of Nara Heijō-kyō (平城京, also Heizei-kyō, sometimes Nara no miyako), was the capital city of Japan...
due to a forest fire destroyed the palace (Shigaraki Palace
Shigaraki Palace
was a palace built by Emperor Shōmu, initially as a villa, later named by himself as the capital in 744. The palace was located in the present-day city of Kōka, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The capital-palace is also referred to as in the Shoku Nihongi....
).
Shigaraki has been famous for pottery making since ancient times. The area is known for its clay beds, and locally mined clay is often used by local potters. Works produced here are known as Shigaraki-yaki. Many local potters use wood fired anagama kiln
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...
s. Many tanuki
Tanuki
is the common Japanese name for the Japanese raccoon dog . They have been part of Japanese folklore since ancient times...
statues are also made here.