Bizen wares are only created by clay and fire
The great lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the great tea master Sen no Rikyu
both loved Bizen ware and greatly supported it. It is only created by clay and fire.
Therefore, Bizen ware is simple and assuming in form but has a noble quality.
The calm atmosphere and subdued colors perfectly compliment brightly colored
flowers and food enticing the user to create a harmonious arrangement.
Process of creation
Process 1
Kneading the clay
to ensure that the clay will not crack under the intense heat of the firing process, the clay must be well-kneaded, removing any trace of air.
Process 2
Forming
Items made on the potter’s wheel are placed in the shade to dry, before they are fired in the kiln.
Process 3
Loading into the kiln
The various patterns of the finished pottery are caused by the variations in how the flames strike the item while it is the kiln. Keeping this in mind, the potter carefully loads his kiln.
Process 4
Making the fire
The most common kind of kiln is one called ‘NOBORI-GAMA’, which uses pine wood for fuel. The fire must be carefully tended, and brought up to about 1250°C to insure a successful firing.
Process 5
Unloading the Kiln
After ting the kiln cool for about 10 days, the pottery is carefully removed from the kiln.Later, the pieces are finished with fine sandpaper and washed in water.
Colors
Goma
This yellow color part is called Goma, it means sesame seeds in Japan. When the gomma drips it is called “tamadare”.
Sangiri
This blue and gray color part is called “sangiri”.It occurs most frequently in pieces on the floor buried in ash where flame and air do not pass through. This “reduction” effect produces blue and grey.
Hidasuki
This red line is called “Hidasuki”. It occurs by wrapped rice straw around a pottery.
Aobizen(Blue Bizen)
Blue Bizen is an unusual effect produced by gas clouding around a piece in the kiln.
Fuseyaki
When two pots are stacked one on top of another a different color appears where one covers another.
Botamochi
A spot of different color in various shapes may be seen where a flattened price of high refractory clay is placed against, or laid on a pot