Rustic Taste of Echizen-yaki Pottery
Echizen Pottery has a long history it is said to have started about 850 years ago. Pottery production developed from a focus on items for daily use such as water jars and mortars. The soil used in crafting the Echizen earthenware utensils contains lots of iron, so that when heated, the surface turns a dark brown/reddish brown when it is made into pottery. For this reason, Echizen earthenware items were unlikely to leak, and so in addition to being used for storing liquids like water and alcohol, and dyes like aizome, etc., they were also used to store grains and preserve food.
With modernization, the craft was in danger of dying, however with archeological excavations of kiln remains, the craft was recognized as historically important, and it underwent a revival. It became known as one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan, and was designated as a Traditional Craft of Japan. Echizen Pottery is the name given to pottery fired within Fukui from local clay. There are currently around 80 potteries in Fukui, and of those, 20 operate in the town of Echizen the birthplace of Echizen Pottery.
Built in a godown style, the Fukui Prefectural Pottery Museum, constituting the center of the village, displays many works of pottery from the Old Echizen style to the contemporary Echizen style. The museum is also equipped with a workshop to offer visitors a course in pottery, providing them with an experience of making their own Echizen pottery pieces. In addition, the museum has a teahouse named "Chaen" attached to it, where you can enjoy the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, actually touching Echizen ware. To sum up, the museum is complete with the three essential elements required for appreciation of Echizen pottery - "See, Make and Touch".
With modernization, the craft was in danger of dying, however with archeological excavations of kiln remains, the craft was recognized as historically important, and it underwent a revival. It became known as one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan, and was designated as a Traditional Craft of Japan. Echizen Pottery is the name given to pottery fired within Fukui from local clay. There are currently around 80 potteries in Fukui, and of those, 20 operate in the town of Echizen the birthplace of Echizen Pottery.
Built in a godown style, the Fukui Prefectural Pottery Museum, constituting the center of the village, displays many works of pottery from the Old Echizen style to the contemporary Echizen style. The museum is also equipped with a workshop to offer visitors a course in pottery, providing them with an experience of making their own Echizen pottery pieces. In addition, the museum has a teahouse named "Chaen" attached to it, where you can enjoy the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, actually touching Echizen ware. To sum up, the museum is complete with the three essential elements required for appreciation of Echizen pottery - "See, Make and Touch".
