Takatori Ware
高取焼
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Takatori Ware
Takatori ware is a type of pottery produced under the patronage of the Kuroda Clan, lords of the Chikuzen Domain in Fukuoka, and was fired as an official domain kiln. While undergoing several relocations, it inherited the traditions of the domain kilns and established its renown as one of the “Seven Kilns of Enshu” by producing tea ceramics that responded to the aesthetic sensibilities of Kobori Enshu. Its origins trace back to the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98), when the potter Hachizan (Japanese name: Takatori Hachizo) was brought to Japan. At the command of Kuroda Nagamasa, the first lord of the domain, he opened a kiln at the foot of Mount Takatori (present-day Nogata City, Fukuoka Prefecture). Although the exact date of establishment remains debated, it is estimated that activities at the Eimanji-Takuma Kiln began around 1602 (Keicho 7), after Nagamasa was transferred from Nakatsu in Buzen to Fukuoka in Chikuzen in 1600 (Keicho 5) as a reward for his achievements at the Battle of Sekigahara. In 1614 (Keicho 19), the kiln was moved to Uchigaiso, where bold Oribe-style designs—such as kutsugata, irregular shapes, and two-tone glazes—were actively adopted, responding swiftly to the prevailing trends in tea ceramics. After the death of Furuta Oribe, the aesthetic philosophy of Kobori Enshu, who served as tea ceremony instructor to the shogunate, gradually permeated the kiln’s production. Upon Nagamasa’s death in 1623 (Genna 9), Hachizan and his son requested permission to return to Korea in 1624 (Kan’ei 1), but they incurred the displeasure of the second lord, Kuroda Tadayuki, and were ordered into seclusion in Kama District, Kamiyamada Village (present-day: Kama City, Fukuoka Prefecture). There they opened the Yamada Kiln and produced everyday wares with a small group of disciples. Tadayuki was an avid collector of tea utensils, and with Hachizan’s confinement, many potters relocated to the Kamanokuchi Kiln (Agano ware). In 1630 (Kan’ei 7), Hachizan and his son were pardoned and allowed to return, opening the Shirahata-yama Kiln at the foot of Mount Shirahata (present-day Iizuka City, Fukuoka Prefecture). Prior to this, they are said to have received instruction from Enshu in Fushimi at Tadayuki’s command, resulting in the production of refined, elegantly thin tea ceramics known as “Enshu Takatori.” Although sherds confirm that Enshu-style tea caddies (chaire) had already been produced at the Uchigaiso Kiln, the style underwent a marked transformation at the Shirahata-yama kiln, where many outstanding tea caddies were created. It was precisely this graceful and sophisticated beauty of form—embodied in Enshu Takatori—that elevated the historical reputation of Takatori ware. Among the domestic tea utensils owned by Enshu, Takatori ware occupies a particularly important position. Hachizan passed away in 1654 (Joo 3) at this site. Under the third lord, Kuroda Mitsuyuki, and the fourth lord, Kuroda Tsunamasa, the kilns were repeatedly relocated or expanded. In 1665 (Kanbun 5), the kiln was moved to Koishiwara Tsuzumi (present-day Toho Village, Asakura District, Fukuoka Prefecture). During the Tenna era (1681–84), records indicate that fine work was carried out within Fukuoka Castle and then fired at the Koishiwara-Tsuzumi Kiln after being presented for official inspection. In 1688 (Genroku 1), the kiln was relocated to Ogatani Kiln (now Terukuni, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City), but was closed in 1704 (Genroku 17) after producing inappropriate wares for the Nagasaki magistrate, which incurred the wrath of Lord Mitsuyuki. The domain kiln remained inactive for approximately 12 years. During the Hoei era (1704–11), a new kiln site was established in Arato Shinmachi (now Arato, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City), and in 1716 (Kyoho 1), the Higashi-Sarayama Kiln (now Sohara, Sawara Ward, Fukuoka City) was opened. This became the final kiln in the lineage of the domain kilns, continuing operations until the abolition of feudal domains in 1871 (Meiji 4). Today, the legacy of Takatori ware is carried forward by potters such as Takatori Hachizan, Takatori Hassen, Onimaru Hekizan, and Kamei Miraku. Their works preserve the dignified spirit of “Enshu Takatori” through traditional techniques. Embodying the aesthetics of kirei-sabi, these vessels radiate quiet elegance and profound refinement, and remain deeply revered in the world of tea.
Eimanji-Takuma Kiln 1602 – 1614
The Eimanji-Takuma Kiln is the earliest known kiln and is said to be the birthplace of takatori ware. It is located on the border between chikuzen province（kuroda clan) and buzen province（hosokawa clan）, and adjacent to the kamanokuchi kiln（agano ware）. The nogata city board of education conducted an excavation survey in 1982. It is the small kiln with a total length of 16.6m, and the excavated pottery fragments have been confirmed to include bowls, dishes, jars, mortars, and a small amount of tea pottery. It is characterized by a glaze that resembles the surface of a sea cucumber, and there are only a few works, making it highly prized. The Eimanji-Takuma kiln site was designated as an intangible cultural property by nogata city in 1988.
Uchigaiso Kiln 1614 – 1624
The Uchigaiso Kiln (present-day Nogata City, Fukuoka Prefecture) was a large-scale kiln complex possessing firing capabilities that surpassed those of the Eimanji-Takuma Kiln. Employing a wide range of glazes—including wood-ash, straw ash, amber, feldspar, copper, and various kakewake (applied-in-sections) glazes—together with advanced and diverse forming techniques such as tataki (paddle beating), the kiln produced a bold and highly individual body of tea ceramics in the Oribe taste. In connection with the planned construction of the Fukuchi Mountain Dam at the foot of Mount Fukuchi, the Nogata City Board of Education conducted archaeological excavations from 1979 to 1981. These investigations revealed a large, multi‑chambered climbing kiln measuring 46.5 meters in total length, consisting of fourteen firing chambers and a single stoking chamber. A wide variety of objects was unearthed, including tea caddies (chaire), tea bowls, fresh‑water jars (mizusashi), flower vases, and dishes, as well as numerous everyday wares. As a result of these findings, many high‑quality works that had previously been attributed to Karatsu ware, Agano ware, or Hagi ware were re‑evaluated and reassigned to the Uchigaiso Kiln, prompting a significant reconsideration of ceramic lineages. The Chikuzen no Kuni Zoku Fudoki records not only the activities of Takatori Hachizan and others but also the presence of the group led by Igarashi Jizaemon. Igarashi is known to have been a retainer of Terazawa Hirotaka, Shima-no-kami, lord of the Karatsu domain in Hizen Province, and to have been well versed in Seto ceramic techniques. It is said that the second lord of the Kuroda domain, Kuroda Tadayuki, employed Igarashi—through the mediation of Kamiya Sotan—and, together with Hachizan and others, ordered the production of tea ceramics that suited his personal taste.
Shirahata-yama Kiln 1630 – 1665
At the Shirahata-yama Kiln, numerous works have been identified that respond to Kobori Enshu’s aesthetic ideal of kirei-sabi, embodying a refined elegance expressed through thinly crafted, graceful, and sophisticated forms. These characteristics later led to the style being referred to as “Enshu Takatori.” Archaeological excavations conducted by the Iizuka City Board of Education between 1987 and 1989 uncovered the remains of three kilns, all of which were confirmed to be multi‑chamber climbing kilns (renboshiki noborigama). Although the excavated sherds include everyday wares, the primary focus of production was clearly tea ceramics. What is particularly noteworthy is the large number of full-scale saggars—items not found at earlier Takatori kiln sites—that have been unearthed, indicating that increasingly diverse and complex glaze formulations were being explored. Marked by the establishment and development of the Shirahata-yama Kiln, the Takatori domain kilns underwent a major stylistic transformation, ultimately culminating in the elegant and graceful forms that would later be celebrated as “Enshu Takatori.”
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