Shigaraki ware

A general term for ceramics fired mainly in Shigaraki Town, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture. Although kilns for ancient sueki ware have been found in Koka County, these are not included in Shigaraki ware. Following the tradition of sueki ware, Shigaraki ware was established in the Kamakura period when the new oxidizing flame firing method was used to produce yakishime pottery. Shigaraki ware was originally unglazed, using high-quality clay that is close to pure white, and the surface is scorched reddish brown by the high-temperature oxidizing flame. During firing, a green natural glaze is applied to the body of the vessel, creating a beautiful scenery. Another characteristic is that the base contains a large number of feldspar particles, which are visible on the surface of the vessel. Medieval Shigaraki ware with these characteristics mainly produced large jars, jars, and mortars, which was the general style of local kilns at the time. Ancient kiln sites of medieval Shigaraki ware in the form of pit kilns are scattered around Minamimatsuo, Kamagaya, Zunkoshi, Nakaide, and other areas.

From the mid-16th century during the late Muromachi period, Shigaraki ware attracted the attention of tea masters who had started the wabi tea style and began to produce tea utensils (especially water jars, flower vases, tea bowls, etc.), and the styles are classified after the names of representative tea masters of the Muromachi, Momoyama, and Edo periods, such as Jo'o Shigaraki, Rikyu Shigaraki, Shinbei Shigaraki, Sotan Shigaraki, and Kuuchu Shigaraki. Although Shigaraki ware was extremely popular as a kiln for tea utensils, its production of tea utensils declined after the mid-Edo period, and its pottery production ability declined. Shigaraki ware became a nondescript local kiln that produced everyday utensils and large jars that were distributed nationwide, using artificial glazes such as straw ash white glaze, copper-colored green glaze, and iron-colored black-brown glaze.

[Yoshiaki Yabe]

"Japanese Ceramics 5: Shigaraki" edited by Keizo Hirano (1976, Kodansha)" ▽ "Shigaraki" by Keizo Hirano (1982, Gihodo Publishing)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

滋賀県甲賀(こうか)市信楽町を中心として焼かれる陶磁器の総称。甲賀郡には上代の須恵器(すえき)の窯がみつかっているが、これは信楽焼には含まない。須恵器の伝統にのって、鎌倉時代に新しい酸化炎焼成による焼き締め陶に転じた時点をもって信楽焼の成立とする。信楽焼は本来無釉(むゆう)で、純白色に近い良質の胎土を用い、高火度の酸化炎を受けて地肌が赤褐色に焦げ、しかも焼成中に緑色の自然釉がとっぷりと器体にかかって景色をつくる。素地の中に長石の粒子が多く、それが器表に現れているのも特徴である。このような特色を備えた中世の信楽焼が大壺(つぼ)、甕(かめ)、擂鉢(すりばち)を主力製品とするのは、当時の地方窯の一般的なあり方であった。中世信楽焼の窖窯(あながま)形式の古窯址(し)は、南松尾、窯ヶ谷、ズン越、中井出などに散在する。

　室町後期の16世紀中葉から、信楽焼はわび茶をおこした茶人に注目されて茶道具（とくに水指、花入れ、茶碗(ちゃわん)など）を焼造するようになり、室町、桃山、江戸時代の代表的茶人の名を冠して紹鴎(じょうおう)信楽、利休信楽、新兵衛信楽、宗旦(そうたん)信楽、空中(くうちゅう)信楽などに作風が分類されている。茶具窯として大人気を博しながら、江戸中期以降は茶具作りが下火となり、作陶力の低下をきたした信楽焼は、藁灰(わらばい)による白釉、銅呈色の緑釉、鉄呈色の黒褐釉を人工施釉して、全国的に流布した日常雑器や大壺を焼く特色のない一地方窯となってしまった。

［矢部良明］

『平野敬三編『日本のやきもの5　信楽』（1976・講談社）』▽『平野敬三著『信楽』（1982・技報堂出版）』

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