Mino ware
Mino ware
Mino ware made in Japan
Back in 7th century A.D., Mino ware was born in the Mino region located in the center of Japan. It has more than a 1300-year history.
As the tea ceremony culture got more popular in Azuchi-Momoyama era, Mino ware was favored and loved by tea meisters and aristocracies.
Figure and color of Mino ware have become more sophisticated as time has gone by. Kizeto of yellow & ocher, Oribe of deep green glaze, Shino of white & pink glaze, and Setoguro of pure black have great reputations among ceramic lovers not only in Japan but also all over the world.
Currently, more than 50% of ceramics in Japan are produced in this region. It is one of the most important regions and cultures we Japanese people have to preserve.
Mino-yaki sites
There is a wide range of production areas for Mino-yaki including Toki city, Tajimi city, Mizunami city, and the surrounding area. There are potters who set up workshops and some people who build wood-burning kilns and work on the Mino-yaki style of the Momoyama and Edo period.
Modern Mino-yaki is also known as a large production area for everyday tableware, as well as it pursues the traditional Mino ware style of Kizeto, Shino, Oribe, etc.
In the Mino region many people are involved in the ceramic industry. Large manufacturing factories employ young ceramic artists. Many people learn ceramic art in Mino province and aim to produce their own ceramics as creators and designers.
Attribution: an image by 大野一将, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Toki, Gifu, Japan
Motoyashiki Pottery Kiln Site
Motoyashiki Pottery Kiln Site
The Motoyashiki kiln that bakes Oribe's excellent products
Inside of the oldest Renbo-style climbing kiln in Mino, located in Hisajiri, Izumicho, Toki City. It is a national historic site.
Our selection of Mino ware
From Kizeto, to Oribe, Shino and more
Kizeto (黄瀬戸)
Kizeto has a distinctive opaque yellow glaze. It is created by the minerals in the clay by an iron-rich wood-ash glaze when the fire reduced at a high temperature in an oxygen-rich kiln.
The motifs are often etched and highlighted in green dots.
Oribe（織部）
Green Oribe is traditionally recognized by its green glaze and asymmetrical shapes. The glaze is applied with a pouring technique of craftsmanship.
The distinct green color comes from the copper-sulfate glazing with oxidation firing.
Dynamically painted motifs often include natural images, such as flowers, rivers, and plants and organic shapes.
Shino (志野）
Shino is identified by thick white glazes with its unique texture and small red holes. It is exampled like a white skin lady in a dream by author KAWABATA Yasunari.
Shino is made from special local clay with a feldspathic glaze. This combination makes Shino color turns into a milky white coat which covers with small holes to see the red color of the body.
Tenmoku ware
Tenmoku ware is known as a black glaze Tenmokuyuu （天目釉） used on tea bowls.
The iron salts in the glaze turn black when oxidized in the kiln.
It originated from China in the 11-8c BC, Song dynasty.
Tenmoku ware was often used for tea ceremonies by the Japanese aristocracy.
When the iron content is low, the glaze turns out to be more brown. This is called Ameyu.
Kyo-Style
Yutekitenmoku Black
Pearl White Luster
Scarab tone
50% of pottery is produced as Mino ware in Japan
With the introduction of mass production introduced in the Meiji period (1868–1912), Mino ware became widely available. Ceramics from the Mino region amount to around 50% of Japanese pottery produced. From authentic Oribe and Shino, you can also find everyday use of teacups and mugs.
