Gifts from the Earth

During the Edo Period six families were supported by the ruling Ikeda Clan of Bizen to make pottery. The Kimura family is one of those six families. Ichiyou Kimura is the thirteenth generation of the Kimura family making pottery. Their presence in the craft is so significant that the style of pots thrown here are classed in the “Kimura” tradition.

Ichiyou Kimura led us through his outlet store and workshop, where he showed us the kiln his father built in 1947, and explained to us the intricacies of pot making here in Bizen, the center of ceramics for all of Japan.

Of course, we have potteries in North Carolina. You may know that Seagrove is sometimes referred to as “jug town.” The potters in central North Carolina were discovered in the early twentieth century when wealthy easterners traveled south to Florida and discovered local potters halfway down the east coast. Abby Aldrich Rockefeller fell in love with American folk art, and suddenly the rural South became chic. Families such as the Rockefellers and the Tufts became patrons for some of the indigenous potters located in the sandhills. The materials and the designs the potters used went back to colonial days in the southeast.

If there is one thing that disappoints me about the potters of Jugtown today, it is that they rarely use local materials and traditional designs. Instead of using local clay, the Seagrove potters usually import their clay from as far away as Africa and Asia. What impresses me about the potters that we saw here in Japan today is that they still dig clay from the hills surrounding their town. The glazes, colors and designs of their craft go back to the ninth century. They have changed neither their designs, their processes nor their materials.

The pieces we saw were beautiful. Of course, there are some trendy little trinkets for the tourists, such as tiny ceramic cats or chickens. But they still make the traditional rice bowls, cups for tea ceremonies, and bowls for foods and beverages. Their glazes do not contain lead, so all of the pieces are food-safe. In one shop I saw an elaborate dragon made completely out of ceramics. It was an elegant piece of art.

The pieces here are not cheap, but with the forming of the pots, the firing of the kiln, and the finishing of the pieces it takes about two weeks to make a pot. The color and design of each piece is governed by the rate at which the clay is allowed to heat up and cool down. Therein lies the art. Obviously, the pieces are prepared in bulk, and once the kiln is hot, as many pieces as possible are fired. Firing takes place only a few times each year.

It was a privilege to see this ancient art performed before our eyes. When you come to Japan, don’t miss this presentation of the master’s craft.

The town of Bizen has other attractions as well. While many in our group today were still shopping, our guide pointed out to me two interesting sites. Half a block north was a small Shinto Shrine. I had time so I left our crowd and found a lovely, quiet little sanctuary halfway up a small mountain. A stairway led to the top. I entered the sanctuary and spent a few silent moments of solitude.

The other place our guide mentioned was an old house with a traditional thatched roof rarely seen in Japan today. While Glenda shopped for more ceramics, I took a few photos.

With these happy memories safely stored, we left for our next destination in this lovely town.Les mer