The Kamakura Period: Beginnings as Farmers' "Tools"

The ceramic industry that directly led to today's Shigaraki ware began in earnest in the mid-Kamakura period, during the 13th century. What was being made back then were not works of art or luxury items. The core production consisted of practical "tools" indispensable to the daily, agriculture-centered lives of the people, such as large jars (kame), pots (tsubo), and grinding bowls (suribachi).

What's particularly fascinating is that Shigaraki ware of that time was heavily influenced by the more technologically advanced Tokoname ware. This shows that Shigaraki ware didn't start on a unique path from the beginning, but rather by learning and incorporating superior techniques from other production centers. Its products were designed with functionality as the top priority, and distribution was limited to nearby regions like Omi (present-day Shiga Prefecture), Kyo (Kyoto), and Yamato (present-day Nara Prefecture). During this era, Shigaraki ware was not yet known nationwide; it was a craft that supported the lives of local people.

Discovering Value: The Turning Point When Tea Ceremony Elevated Shigaraki Ware to "Art"

The first and greatest turning point in the history of Shigaraki ware occurred from the Muromachi to the Azuchi-Momoyama periods. The tea ceremony, or chanoyu, which flourished during this time—especially the style known as wabicha, which values simplicity and quiet taste—dramatically changed the destiny of Shigaraki ware.

Until then, the world of tea prized ornate and gorgeous utensils (karamono) imported from China. However, tea masters like Murata Juko and Sen no Rikyu challenged these established concepts and discovered a new kind of beauty in common, domestically produced tools. They believed that the very spirit of wabicha resided in the rugged, unadorned pots and jars that Shigaraki farmers used for storing seed rice and water.

This shift in values is symbolized by the unique Japanese aesthetic of mitate. This is the concept of finding new value in an object by repurposing it for something completely different from its original intent. Through mitate, simple Shigaraki pots, which were once mere everyday items, were selected by the discerning eyes of tea masters and given new life as flower vases (hanaire) or fresh-water containers (mizusashi) in the tea room.

Furthermore, Sen no Rikyu went a step beyond just repurposing existing items. He began to directly communicate his preferences to Shigaraki potters, commissioning original tea utensils. This elevated Shigaraki ware from "discovered beauty" to "created beauty," establishing its status not just as a practical item, but as a work of art representing Japan's spiritual culture. This encounter with the tea ceremony was the first great leap that made Shigaraki ware famous throughout the country, a legacy that continues to be celebrated today.

Mass Production and Industrialization: The Evolution of Mainstay Products Supporting Daily Life from the Edo to the Modern Era

Having reached its artistic peak in the Azuchi-Momoyama period, Shigaraki ware would undergo another major transformation entering the subsequent Edo period. A significant technological innovation of this era was the introduction of the massive *noborigama* (climbing kiln), which utilized mountain slopes to link multiple firing chambers. These climbing kilns made it possible to fire a large quantity of products at once, thrusting Shigaraki ware into an era of full-scale industrialization.

While continuing to produce high-end items like the *ochatsubo* (tea jars) for presenting Uji tea to the Tokugawa shogunate, Shigaraki ware once again became widely used as everyday vessels for the common people. As an alternative to more expensive ceramics like Kyo ware, affordable and durable *tokkuri* (sake flasks) and tableware were mass-produced and supplied to cities across the country, including Edo. By simultaneously maintaining its value as art while also becoming a major supplier of mass-produced goods that were part of many people's daily lives, Shigaraki solidified its foundation as a production center.

This characteristic of Shigaraki ware—accurately grasping the needs of the times and shifting its main products accordingly—became even more pronounced during the Meiji and Showa periods, when the wave of modernization swept through Japan. The spread of the railway network created a new culture of travel, and Shigaraki ware responded to the demand from travelers nationwide by mass-producing ceramic canteens known as *kishadobin* (train teapots).

And the biggest hit product symbolizing modern Shigaraki ware was the ceramic heater known as the *hibachi* (fire bowl). The *hibachi*, which made the most of Shigaraki clay's natural resistance to sudden heating and cooling, gained immense support for its high quality, at one point becoming such a mainstay product that it commanded 90% of the national market share.

Furthermore, the raccoon dog (*tanuki*) statues, another famous face of modern Shigaraki ware, also appeared around this time. In 1951 (Showa 26), when Emperor Showa visited Shigaraki, he was deeply impressed by the countless *tanuki* statues lining the roadside. When this event was reported in the news, the Shigaraki *tanuki* gained nationwide fame as a good luck charm for business prosperity, establishing the unshakeable status it holds to this day.

From the Post-War Era to the Present: The DNA of "Adaptation" that Continues to Respond to Changes in Lifestyle

After World War II, as lifestyles changed dramatically and the demand for *hibachi* plummeted, the Shigaraki region once again faced a major crisis. However, the artisans of Shigaraki pivoted their businesses to the next market with astonishing speed. They capitalized on the houseplant boom to start producing flowerpots, and then captured the demand from the construction rush by moving into the field of architectural tiles.

The high level of their technical skill is proven by their selection for national projects, such as the roof tiles for the National Diet Building and the gleaming "Black Sun" on the back of the "Tower of the Sun," the symbol of the 1970 Osaka Expo.