Tokoname ware - Tokoname ware

A general term for pottery from Chita Peninsula, Aichi Prefecture. It is also commonly known as "Tokonabe yaki." Tokoname ware was first established as a branch kiln of the famous Sanage kiln from the Heian period, but in the 12th century, it caught the local market and grew rapidly as a kiln that fired crude jars, pots, and mortars with natural glazes in large underground pit kilns. The kilns are widely distributed in Tokoname City, Handa City, Obu City, Tokai City, Higashiura Town, and Taketoyo Town, and the currently known group of more than 1,200 medieval kiln sites is the largest in Japan, but it is estimated that about 3,000 kilns were built throughout the Middle Ages. Its products are sold throughout the country, from Aomori Prefecture to Kagoshima Prefecture, and under its influence many kilns have been established, from Izunuma Kogyo in Miyagi Prefecture to Tamba Kiln in Hyogo Prefecture.

During the Muromachi period, Tokoname's leadership was weakened by the influence of Bizen ware (Okayama Prefecture), and it did not show any significant development even during the national flourishing of pottery in the Momoyama period. However, in the early Edo period, kilns were converted into large semi-underground kilns (gun kilns) and concentrated in the Tokoname area, and in the late Edo period, multi-chambered climbing kilns were introduced, and Mayaki, Akamono, Shudei, and roofing tiles were produced in this area. Mayaki is unglazed pottery fired in climbing kilns, and Akamono is unglazed earthenware fired at a low temperature in large kilns. Shudei is a high-quality clay with a high iron content, and various fixtures made from it, including teapots and tea bowls for literati hobbies, became Tokoname's specialty products in the early modern and modern periods. Today, in addition to these various products, ceramic pipes, tiles, sanitary ware, etc. are also produced in large quantities.

[Yoshiaki Yabe]

"Exploring Japanese Ceramics 10: Tokoname and Others" edited by Masaaki Tachihara and Seizo Hayashiya (1980, Shogakukan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

愛知県知多半島の陶芸の総称。慣用として「とこなべやき」ともいう。常滑焼は初め平安時代の名窯・猿投窯(さなげよう)の支窯として開かれたが、12世紀になって在地の需要層をつかみ、地下に掘った大型の窖窯(あながま)で自然釉(ゆう)のかかった粗雑な甕(かめ)、壺(つぼ)、擂鉢(すりばち)を焼く窯として急成長を遂げた。窯は常滑市、半田市、大府市、東海市、東浦町、武豊(たけとよ)町に広く分布し、現在知られている1200基以上の中世古窯址(し)群はわが国第一の規模を誇るが、推測では中世を通じて約3000基の窯が築かれたとする。その製品は青森県から鹿児島県までほぼ全国を網羅して販売され、その影響下に宮城県の伊豆沼古窯から兵庫県の丹波(たんば)窯まで、多くの窯が誕生している。

　室町時代になると備前(びぜん)焼（岡山県）の勢いに押されて指導力が衰え、桃山時代の陶芸の全国的な隆盛期にあってもさしたる展開は示さなかったが、江戸初頭に窯は半地下式大窯（鉄砲窯）に変わって常滑市域に集中していき、江戸後期には連房式登窯(のぼりがま)も導入されて、この地で真焼(まやき)、赤物、朱泥(しゅでい)、瓦(かわら)などが生産された。真焼は登窯で焼かれる素焼の焼締め陶、赤物とは大窯で焼く低火度の素焼土器である。朱泥は鉄分の多い良質の粘土で、これを用いた文人趣味の急須(きゅうす)や煎茶(せんちゃ)茶碗をはじめ各種の什器(じゅうき)は、近世・近代の常滑陶の特産品となった。今日ではこれら各種の製品に加え、陶管、タイル、衛生陶器などの産出も多い。

［矢部良明］

『立原正秋・林屋晴三監修『探訪日本の陶芸10　常滑他』（1980・小学館）』

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