Ofukai ware - Ofukeyaki

This kiln was named after the Owari Tokugawa clan's garden ware, which was built in the Ofukaimaru kiln within Nagoya Castle. There are two theories about the kiln's opening: one is that it was built during the Kan'ei period (1624-44) under the first feudal lord Tokugawa Yoshinao, and the other is that it was built during the time of the second feudal lord Tokugawa Mitsutomo (1650-1700). Tea utensils, Buddhist utensils, and tableware were fired using the so-called Ofukai glaze, a highly transparent ash glaze that had been used in the Mino and Seto kilns since the early Edo period. It is said that Chen Yuanpin, a naturalized Ming dynasty who served Yoshinao, also participated in this kiln, and one of its characteristics was that copies of Vietnamese blue and white porcelain were popular. Ofukai kiln was also called the Lord's kiln and boasted high status. It continued to exist by carefully selecting materials and potters, but it was closed in 1870 (Meiji 3).

[Yoshiaki Yabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

尾張(おわり)徳川家の御庭焼で、名古屋城内の御深井丸に窯が築かれたところからこの名がある。開窯については初代藩主徳川義直(よしなお)のころの寛永(かんえい)年間（1624～44）とする説、2代藩主光友の時代（1650～1700）とする説がある。美濃(みの)窯、瀬戸窯で江戸時代初頭から使い始めた灰釉(かいゆう)系の透明度の高い、いわゆる御深井釉を使って茶具、仏具や飲食器を焼いた。なお明(みん)の帰化人で義直に仕えた陳元贇(ちんげんぴん)もこの窯に参与したといわれ、ベトナムの染付写しが流行したのも特色の一つである。御深井窯は殿様窯ともよばれて格の高さを誇り、材料や陶工にも吟味を尽くして存続したが、1870年（明治3）に廃された。

［矢部良明］

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