Shitoro-yaki pottery

The history of Shitoro-yaki pottery from Shizuoka Prefecture is ancient. It is believed to have originated around 1520 when potters from Seto (Aichi Prefecture), a region known for its active pottery production at the time, began creating "Old Seto-style glazed pottery."

In 1573, during the Momoyama period, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the lord of Hamamatsu Castle at the time, invited 13 potters from Mino (Gifu Prefecture) to revive Shitoro-yaki.

He issued "pottery licenses" to these potters, providing generous protection and support, thus establishing their status. This led to the birth of Shitoro-yaki as a producer of high-quality glazed pottery products.

Shitoro-yaki gained significant fame when the tea master Kobori Enshu, who served as a tea ceremony instructor to the third Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, provided guidance in the creation of tea utensils. It was later recognized as one of the "Seven Kilns of Enshu," which greatly elevated its name across the country.

The pottery is hard and has a light red or white color. For the glaze, an iron-rich red stone called "Ni-ishi," which is collected from local mountains, is used.

Using the locally sourced material traditionally used in Shitoro-yaki, the iron-rich red stone known as "Ni-ishi," I succeeded in creating a black color with the desire to produce my own unique Shitoro-yaki. This black is named "Niguro."