Takatori-yaki (高取焼) is a category of ceramics produced in Toho Village, Asakura District, and Takatori, Sawara Ward, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, with approximately 400 years of history. It is considered one of the most prominent old kilns in Fukuoka Prefecture and is counted among the Japanese ceramics traditions closely associated with the tea ceremony.
History
The founding of the Takatori-yaki kiln is dated to 1600, when the lord Kuroda Nagamasa brought back a Korean potter known as Yazan (Japanese name: Hachizo Shigasada) following the Korean invasions. The kiln was originally fired at the foot of Takatoriyama in present-day Nogata City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The earliest kiln sites — the Eimanji-Takuma kiln, the Uchigaso kiln, and the Yamada kiln — are collectively referred to as "Ko-Takatori" (Old Takatori).
During the Edo period, Takatori-yaki flourished as the official kiln (goyogama) of the Kuroda domain. During the Genna era, potters from Karatsu-yaki in Hizen Province were invited to improve production techniques. In the Kan'ei era, the second domain lord Kuroda Tadayuki deepened his relationship with the tea master Kobori Masakazu (Enshu), resulting in many tea utensils being produced in the Enshu style. Through this association, Takatori-yaki was counted among the Enshu Shichigama (Seven Kilns of Enshu), establishing its reputation as a prominent tea ceramics production area.
The second-generation Hachizo Sadaaki later built a drum kiln (Tsuzumi-gama) in what is now Toho Village, a phase known as Koishiwara Takatori, which had some influence on the folk kiln tradition of Koishiwara-yaki. The kiln subsequently moved to Ogaya in Fukuoka (Oniwa Takatori), and in the 18th century was divided into "Higashi-sarayama" and "Nishi-sarayama." In 1708 (Hoei 5), the fourth domain lord Kuroda Tsunamasa invited descendants of Yazan to a mountain in Nishijin-machi, Sawara District — present-day Takatori — to fire pottery as the official kiln of the Kuroda domain. The Takatori-yaki Souke (main family) kiln was later relit by the 11th-generation Takatori Seizan and continues to the present day, receiving guidance from the Enshu tea ceremony head family.
Techniques & Production Process
During the Ko-Takatori period, the Uchigaso kiln employed a wheel-throwing method to form a perfect circle, after which deliberate distortion was introduced using a spatula (hera). This technique produced the characteristic irregular forms associated with the early wares. The Takatori-yaki Souke tradition is transmitted through ichishi souden — transmission to a single heir — under the guidance of the head family of Enshu tea ceremony, which traces its lineage to Kobori Enshu.
How to Identify Takatori-yaki
Tea utensils produced during the Shirahata-yama kiln period in the Enshu taste are designated "Enshu Takatori" and represent a distinct stylistic category. Wares from the Ko-Takatori Uchigaso kiln are characterized by bold designs in the Oribe style. The glazes used in current Takatori-yaki include Takatori yellow glaze, Shunkei glaze, Takamiya glaze, Doke glaze, Furashi glaze, and Makkuro glaze. The Miraku-gama kiln, located at 1-26-62 Takatori, Sawara Ward, Fukuoka City, is considered the main house (honke) of Takatori-yaki and corresponds to the historic official kiln of the Kuroda domain.
The Craft Today
Takatori-yaki continues to be produced at two principal locations: the Takatori-yaki Souke kiln at Koishiwara-Tsuzumi 2511, Toho Village, Asakura District, Fukuoka Prefecture, and the Miraku-gama kiln in Sawara Ward, Fukuoka City. The Souke lineage maintains the tradition under the guidance of the Enshu tea ceremony head family. Works by Takatori-yaki artisans are featured at Densan Aoyama Square, the showroom operated by the General Foundation for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries (一般財団法人 伝統的工芸品産業振興協会), located in Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Collectors and researchers interested in related regional ceramic traditions may also consult resources on Agano-yaki, another tea ceremony ceramic tradition from Fukuoka.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the origin of Takatori-yaki?
Takatori-yaki originated around 1600 when the lord Kuroda Nagamasa brought back a Korean potter named Yazan (Japanese name: Hachizo Shigasada) following the Korean invasions. The earliest kilns were established at the foot of Takatoriyama in present-day Nogata City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
What is the Enshu Shichigama, and how does Takatori-yaki relate to it?
The Enshu Shichigama (Seven Kilns of Enshu) is a group of kilns associated with the tea master Kobori Masakazu (Enshu). During the Kan'ei era, the second domain lord Kuroda Tadayuki developed a close relationship with Kobori Enshu and had many tea utensils produced in the Enshu style. As a result, Takatori-yaki was counted among these seven kilns and became well known as a tea ceramics production area.
What glazes are used in Takatori-yaki?
Current Takatori-yaki uses several distinct glazes, including Takatori yellow glaze, Shunkei glaze, Takamiya glaze, Doke glaze, Furashi glaze, and Makkuro glaze.
Where is Takatori-yaki produced today?
Takatori-yaki is produced in two main locations: Toho Village, Asakura District, Fukuoka Prefecture (the Souke kiln at Koishiwara-Tsuzumi 2511), and Takatori, Sawara Ward, Fukuoka City (the Miraku-gama kiln at 1-26-62 Takatori).
What is the relationship between Takatori-yaki and Koishiwara-yaki?
The Koishiwara Takatori phase of the kiln's history, established by the second-generation Hachizo Sadaaki in what is now Toho Village, had some influence on the development of the folk kiln tradition known as Koishiwara-yaki.
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