Iyoto

Whetstones were a specialty of the ancient Iyo Province (Ehime Prefecture). In a document from the Shosoin Repository dated June 25, 760 (Tenpyo Houji 4), it is recorded that "Iyo whetstones (3 pieces)" were donated as a polishing material for the construction of the Kannon Bodhisattva, and according to the Heian period Engishiki, "180 pieces of whetstones from Iyo Province" were included among the miscellaneous goods traded by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The place of origin is said to be Toyama Village, Iyo County (present Toyama, Tobe Town), and the Ozu Hiroku records that "there is a whetstone mountain called Iyo whetstone" as a specialty of Toyama Village, with Toyama being a variant of whetstone mountain. "Ehime no Omokage" (Ehime no Omokage) states, "Since ancient times, Toyama has produced whetstones, and is a famous product called Iyo To. All mountains from which these stones are produced are called Tobe." During the Edo period, these whetstones were crushed to make pottery, and in 1777 (An'ei 6), Josuke Sugino succeeded in firing porcelain, becoming known as the "father of Tobe ware."

[Yoshikazu Ito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代の伊予国（愛媛県）の名産とされた砥石。760年（天平宝字4）6月25日の正倉院文書に、観世音菩薩(ぼさつ)造立の研摩料として「伊予砥三果(か)（顆）」が供出されたとあり、平安時代の『延喜式(えんぎしき)』によれば民部省の交易雑物のなかにも「伊予国、砥一百八十顆(か)」がある。この産地は伊予郡外山(とやま)村（現砥部(とべ)町外山）といわれ、『大洲(おおず)秘録』に外山村の特産として「伊予砥といふ砥石山あり」と記し、外山は砥石山の転化という。『愛媛面影(えひめのおもかげ)』には「砥山昔より砥石を出す、伊予砥と名づく名産也。此(この)石の出る山をすべて砥部と言ふ」とある。江戸時代にこの砥石を砕いて陶器を製し、1777年（安永6）杉野丈助が磁器焼成に成功し「砥部焼の祖」と称せられる。

［伊藤義一］

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