Climbing kiln

A form of pottery kiln. A simple single-chamber kiln with a boat-shaped ditch dug vertically on a slope and a roof over it is the primitive form of a climbing kiln, and is sometimes called a pit kiln to distinguish it from a climbing kiln. However, in the narrow sense, it refers to a multi-chamber climbing kiln. This is a long kiln with the firing chambers (chambers) separated by partitions (sama), and is more economical and thermally efficient than a pit kiln, making it possible to mass-produce. The structure is a fire hole at the very front, followed by a dogima (body space), an ash space, a first firing chamber, and a second firing chamber. There are several chambers, and in larger ones there are a dozen or so chambers connected together, with a chimney at the end. The fuel is split pine logs, and in addition to the fire hole, there are sashikiguchi (wooden slots) on the left and right of each chamber for putting in firewood, and the first chamber is fired one after the other. It was developed in China and Korea, and in Japan, Karatsu ware was first made in the 16th century during the Momoyama period, utilizing techniques that had been brought over from the Korean Peninsula. Since then, it has spread rapidly to various parts of the country.

[Yoshiaki Yabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

製陶窯の一形態。傾斜地に縦に舟形の溝を掘り、天井をかぶせた簡単な単室の窯は登窯の原始形態で、これをとくに窖(あな)窯とよんで区別することもある。しかし、狭義には連房式登窯をさす。これは焼成室（房）を隔壁（狭間(さま)）で仕切って連続させた長大な窯で、窖窯より経済的で熱効率もよく、大量生産が可能である。構造は、最前端に焚口(たきぐち)をつくり、胴木間(どうぎま)、灰間(はいま)、第一焼成室、第二焼成室と続く。数室から、大きいものでは十数室の房を連ね、最後に煙突をつける。燃料は松の割り木で、先ほどの焚口のほかに各室の左右に薪(まき)を入れる差木(さしき)口をつけ、第一房から次々に焼成する仕組みである。中国・朝鮮で開発され、日本では桃山時代の16世紀に朝鮮半島渡来の技術を生かして唐津(からつ)焼に初めて築かれた。以来急速に各地に普及した。

［矢部良明］

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