VOL.213 MARCH 2026
EXPLORING JAPANESE POTTERY Japan’s Pottery Culture: Thriving in Everyday Life for Over 10,000 Years

Japan’s pottery¹ has a long and rich history, encompassing a wide variety of techniques, usage, and aesthetic perspectives, resulting in a diverse range of distinctive wares. We spoke with Professor ARAKAWA Masaaki about the historical background of Japan’s pottery culture from ancient times to the present, its connection with Japanese food culture, and the ways it can be appreciated today.

What are the defining features of Japan’s pottery culture?

The most distinctive aspect of Japanese pottery is that it has developed over an exceptionally long period while remaining closely intertwined with daily life. Unlike in many other countries, where crafts often evolved primarily for appreciation or decorative purposes, Japan’s ancient ceramic traditions grew out of a long-standing earthenware culture deeply connected to food. Vessels used for storing water or grains, as well as for ritual purposes, were central to daily life, and the textures and changes that emerge from continued use have themselves been valued as part of the vessel’s appeal. The warmth and tactile quality of the clay, and the subtle transformations that occur over time with repeated use, are key elements that define the unique character of Japan’s pottery culture.

What is the origin and history of Japanese pottery?

Broadly speaking, the history of Japanese pottery can be divided into five periods.

The first period known as the “era of earthenware,” dates back to the Jomon period around 13,000 years ago, when hunting and gathering were the primary means of subsistence. It started with Jomon pottery, followed by the Yayoi² period, when agriculture began and Yayoi pottery was produced, and then progressed to more functional earthenware such as haji-ki.³

The second period began around the 5th century, when kiln-firing techniques capable of reaching temperatures above 1,000°C were introduced from the Korean Peninsula. Pottery produced in these kilns, called sueki⁴ (sue ware), became the foundation of modern Japanese ceramics. 

In 741, Emperor Shomu issued the edict⁵ to establish provincial temples (kokubunji), resulting in the construction of pagodas and temples throughout Japan. Roof tiles (kawara) used in these buildings (See “Nihongawara: Preserving and Passing on Tradition,” in HIGHLIGHTING Japan March 2026 issue) represent one example of the new ceramic technologies brought by immigrant craftsmen. Highly skilled potters also produced vessels for ritual and ceremonial use and were dispatched to temples across the country, helping to spread pottery production techniques throughout Japan.  

During the Heian period (late 8th to around the 12th century), central authority had weakened, and the system in which local government offices oversaw pottery production declined. In its place, privately run pottery workshops began to emerge and operate independently across the country. Through this process, production centers suited to the local climate and soil were established, and each region developed its own distinctive character. From the Heian period onward, entering what is commonly considered the medieval era, large-scale kilns representing different regions began to appear.

In particular, the kiln sites collectively known as Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns (Rokkoyo)—comprising Echizen, Seto, Tokoname, Shigaraki, Tamba, and Bizen (See “Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns: Preserving the Nation’s Ceramic Heritage,” in HIGHLIGHTING Japan March 2026 issue)—have preserved their traditions to the present day and played a central role in the development of Japanese pottery. Vessels produced at these kilns were often large jars and storage pots (kame), practical wares deeply rooted in daily life. They were used for storing water and grains, as well as containers for fertilizer essential to agriculture.

The third period of Japanese pottery began in the 16th century, when the culture of the Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu⁶) became widely established. Sen no Rikyu,⁷ regarded as the preeminent tea master of his time, rose to prominence and inspired the production of highly original ceramics, particularly vessels used in tea practice. Tea bowls recognized by Sen no Rikyu and other masters came to be valued not only as functional tools but also as symbols of status and authority. In Kyoto, tea bowls known as Raku-yaki⁸ (Raku ware) were produced, while in Mino, Gifu Prefecture, tea utensils such as Shino-yaki⁹ (Shino ware) and Oribe-yaki¹⁰ (Oribe ware) were created.

During this period, those who practiced the tea ceremony also drew inspiration from ceramics from the Korean Peninsula and Southeast Asia, including Thailand and Vietnam. While sometimes imitating these foreign wares, they added a sense of playfulness and developed a distinctly Japanese mode of expression. Unlike ceramics in other countries, which valued perfect symmetry, Japanese artisans intentionally embraced irregular shapes or even cracks, finding beauty in naturalness and imperfection. Similarly, when arranging flowers, they placed them in bamboo or simple ceramic vessels in a way that suggested the plants were alive in nature, emphasizing harmony with the natural world.

As time progressed, the fourth period, spanning the Edo to Meiji periods (early 17th to 19th century), saw the development of porcelain production and Kyo-yaki¹¹ (Kyo ware). In the 1610s, porcelain production began in Arita (Saga Prefecture), and vessels with vibrant painted designs on white surfaces quickly became popular. In Kyoto as well, elaborately decorated ceramics also flourished, and production techniques became increasingly sophisticated.

The fifth period, from the 19th century to the present, marks the modern era. Influenced by Western art, Japanese ceramic artists emerged whose works were exported abroad, establishing ceramics not only as practical vessels but also as recognized works of art. In this way, the history of Japanese ceramics stretches from the earthenware of 13,000 years ago to the diverse expressions of the present day.

How does Japanese pottery culture differ from that of other countries?

When living in the United States, I noticed that many artists in Europe and North America create ceramics primarily for appreciation. While ceramics overseas tend to be made mainly for viewing, in Japan, vessels intended for meals and daily use have historically formed the heart of pottery culture. Practical, rooted in everyday life, and designed to enrich people’s daily experiences, this focus on utility is a defining characteristic of Japanese pottery.

Which production regions and sites are recommended for enjoying Japanese pottery?

If you visit Tokyo, it’s worth exploring nearby production centers such as Kasama in Ibaraki Prefecture and Mashiko in Tochigi Prefecture, where many contemporary ceramic artists work while preserving traditional techniques. Other historically significant pottery regions, including Seto in Aichi Prefecture, Kyoto, and Arita, are also highly recommended. In particular, Arita is the birthplace of Arita-yaki¹² (Arita ware), which held the world’s top market share in porcelain production during the 17th century. At that time, when China—the largest exporter of porcelain—was engulfed in civil unrest and supply was interrupted, the Dutch commissioned porcelain from Japan as a substitute. As a result, from the 1650s onward, Japanese pottery became popular among European royalty and nobility, and exported from the port of Imari, it spread around the world under the name “IMARI.” In the modern period, Arita-yaki, alongside raw silk and tea, came to be regarded as one of Japan’s three major export products. Owing to this history, the entire town of Arita is considered an industrial heritage site, and visitors today can experience its rich past while strolling through the streets.

How can visitors enjoy Japanese ceramics?

One of the best ways to experience them while traveling is to dine at high-quality restaurants, many of which can be found in Tokyo, Kyoto, and other major cities, where delicious cuisine is served on beautiful vessels. Skilled chefs often pay as much attention to the choice of tableware as to the food itself. Asking a chef where the dishware is from can spark a conversation and serve as an entry point into Japanese culture. Ceramics are meant not just to be displayed, but to be used—serving and presenting food, and enjoying it with all the senses. The weight in your hand, the texture to the touch, and the feel at your lips, all of these are part of the experience. Through such encounters, visitors can appreciate Yo no bi,¹³ the Japanese aesthetic of “beauty in utility,” which has long been cherished as a way to enrich daily life.

• 1. A general term for both pottery and porcelain. Pottery is made from clay called todo and fired at temperatures between 1,100°C and 1,300°C, retaining the texture of the clay and offering a warm, tactile quality. Porcelain is made from crushed white stone called toseki (porcelain stone) and fired at higher temperatures, approximately 1,300°C to 1,400°C, producing a hard, white, and translucent surface.
• 2. This marks the period when rice cultivation was fully introduced from mainland Asia, and the use of metal objects such as bronze and iron tools began.
• 3. Earthenware widely used in Japan, particularly during the Kofun period (late 3rd to 7th century). Hand-shaped without the use of a potter’s wheel and fired at low temperatures, these vessels are characterized by their simple, functional forms.
• 4. High-fired pottery introduced from the Korean Peninsula around the 5th century. Shaped on a potter’s wheel and fired in a kiln, it becomes hard and durable and is regarded as the origin of Japanese ceramics.
• 5. In times of social instability caused by epidemics or disasters, the emperor ordered the construction of pagodas and temples as a means of stabilizing the nation through Buddhism.
• 6. The Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu), focused on enjoying powdered green tea (matcha).
• 7. Born in 1522, died in 1591. A tea master of the Azuchi–Momoyama period who perfected the practice of chanoyu and established the aesthetic of wabi-cha.
• 8. Raku-yaki: tea ceremony ceramics originating in Kyoto, characterized by hand-molded forms (without a potter’s wheel) and low-temperature firing, which produce soft, warm textures.
• 9. Shino-yaki: pottery that emerged in Mino (present-day Gifu Prefecture) in the late 16th century, distinguished by white feldspathic glaze and gentle, rounded forms. 
• 10. Oribe-yaki: pottery that emerged in Mino (present-day Gifu Prefecture) during the Momoyama period (16th to early 17th century), distinguished by innovative designs such as green glazes and intentionally irregular shapes.
• 11. Kyo-yaki: a collective term for ceramics developed primarily in Kyoto, often featuring elaborate and brightly painted designs.
• 12. Imari-yaki: porcelain produced mainly in Arita, Saga Prefecture. Said to have been first made in the early 17th century by Korean potters who came to Japan. Characterized by hard, white porcelain decorated with brightly colored painting.
• 13. Yo no bi: the beauty found in everyday objects. A Japanese aesthetic that values natural beauty inherent in practicality and functionality.

By TANAKA Nozomi
Photo: Colbase; PIXTA