Historical Background

Wahee-gama (和兵衛窯) is the studio in Shiraiwa, Akita prefecture. It is the oldest pottery in Akita Prefecture, and is currently owned and operated by a family of three—Toshiharu, Sunao, and Aoi Watanabe. The craft dates back to 1771, and originates in Shiraiwa. Shiraiwa-yaki is characterized by its blue namako glaze made from Akita rice hulls.

Further Historical Background

Matsumoto Unshichi started producing pottery in Shiraiwa in 1771, which would become a very popular and profitable business thanks to the patronage of feudal clans. When the Edo and Meiji era abolished feudal domains and began introducing ceramics from outside Japan, the kilns started to shut down. By 1901, there were no more kilns to produce Shiraiwa-yaki.

In 1974, ceramics master Hamada Shōji (1894-1978) investigated the sustainability of Shiraiwa clay, and after giving the clay a high evaluation, encouraged a descendant of a branch of Shiraiwa-yaki makers, Sunao Watanabe, to bring back the lost art. Sunao revived Shiraiwa-yaki in her hometown of Kakunodate and began to promote it to the media. She and her family founded Wahee-gama, named in honor of Sunao’s ancestors from the 1850’s. They had to rediscover the lost recipe to make the namako-yu glaze, but after two decades of experimentation, finally succeeded in creating the recipe used at Wahee-gama today.

Characteristics

Shiraiwa-yaki is characterized by the contrast between the brownish iron glaze overlaid with a bluish straw ash glaze. The blue glaze (namako-yu)  is made with Akitakomachi rice hulls. It is similar to the kind used in Naraoka-yaki, which also comes from Akita prefecture. At Wahee-gama, they also produce special white glazes called haku-yuu and kohiki. The reddish brown of the clay contrasts with the blue and white glazes also invokes the image of snow and earth.

To Know More! 

Website (English) : https://waheegama.jimdofree.com/

How to purchase

Online store: https://oshinsha.jp/search?q=shiraiwa+yaki&_pos=1&_psq=shiraiwa&_ss=e&_v=1.0

白岩焼

據說白岩燒始於明和八年（一七七一），當時一位來自相馬（福島縣）的陶工松本運七在白岩（角館）建造了一座窯爐。

此後，運七的弟子山手儀三郎在天明第二年（一七八二）建造了一個名為「YI窯」的窯爐，接著到文久年間(一八六一～一八六三)為止陸續成立了「RO窯」吉五郎、「HA窯」勘左衛門、「NI窯」孫兵衛、「HO窯」多市郎、「HE窯」吉十郎等六個窯爐，作為「白岩瀨戶山」迎來了全盛時期。

在秋田藩的庇護下，銷售通路擴展到其他氏族，生產從進獻物到日常雜貨的所有產品的白岩瀨戶山與會津本鄉和磐城相馬一起被列為東北三大生產區之一。

然而進入明治時代，由於經濟的變動和交通運輸的發展，從其他生產地區引進產品而使其迅速衰退，此外，它在明治二十九年(一八九六)襲擊仙北地方的六鄉地震中也被大規模破壞，大約一百三十年歷史就此關閉。

現在的白岩燒是昭和四十九年(一九七四)時一位人間國寶的陶藝家濱田莊司氏得到次男濱田晉作氏們的助力，透過渴望復興的陶工們的手重振。

其中共有3個窯爐，其中包括已恢復的和兵衛窯，久衛門窯、與吉窯，每個都以白岩燒的傳統為基礎，以獨特的海參釉作為基調創作作品。

白岩焼

明和八年（公元1771年），相马（福岛县地名）的陶工师松本运七在白岩（角馆市）建立了一座窑，白岩烧随之诞生了。

在那之后，运七的弟子山手儀三郎于天明二年（1782年）成立了“一窑”。之后的文久年间（1861～1863年），五位弟子又相继成立了五座窑。吉五郎成立了“二窑”，勘左卫门成立了“三窑”，孙兵卫成立了“四窑”，多市郎成立了“五窑”，吉重郎成立了“六窑”。这也成为了“白岩濑户山”最繁盛的时期。

在秋田藩的庇护下，白岩烧的销路被拓展到其他家藩。从贡品到日常器皿，白岩濑户山在当时一度可以与会津本乡、磐城相马（地名）同时被列为东北三大产地。

但是进入明治时代以后，由于经济变动和交通发展，外地产品也开始流入县内。这使白岩烧的需求不比从前，白岩烧的发展自此急速地开始衰退。雪上加霜的是，明治二十九年（1896年）仙北地区发生了六乡地震，当地建筑遭到毁灭性的破坏，致使白岩烧约一百三十年的历史就此终结了。

昭和四十九年（1974年），“人间国宝”陶艺家浜田庄司氏在其次子浜田晋作氏的协助下，复兴意欲许高的陶工师门让白岩烧再兴盛起来，使之又出现在了人们的视野里。

现在的白岩烧的出处有三处。以复兴了登窑的和兵卫窑为首，另外还有久卫门窑和与吉窑两家。它们各自尊崇了白岩烧的传统，以独特的海鼠釉为基调创造出了许多陶艺作品。

시라이와 구이

시라이와 구이는 1771년, 소마(후쿠시마 현)의 도공 마쓰모토 운시치가 시라이와(가쿠노다테)에 가마를 세운 것이 그 시작으로 간주되고 있다.

그 후, 운시치의 제자들이 1780년부터 1860년대까지 차례 차례로 여섯 가마가 만들어져 「시라이와 세 토야마」로 전성기를 맞이했다.

아키타 번의 보호하에 판로도 다른 번까지로도 미쳐, 헌상품에서 일용 잡기까지 생산한 시라이와 세 토야마는 아이즈 혼고, 이와시로 소마와 함께 동북 삼대 산지의 하나로 꼽힐 정도였다.

그러나 메이지 시대에 들어, 경제의 변화와 교통의 발달로 다른 산지의 제품들도 이입되어 급속히 쇠퇴하고, 메이지 29년(1896)에 센보쿠 지방을 덮친 로쿠고지역 지진으로 치명적인 피해를 입어 약 백 삼십 년의 역사가 닫히게 되었다.