By
Harlan Urwiler
There is great beauty and elegance about Japan. Even a cursory
view of their culture, art, traditions, and history gives one a highly
favorable impression of the Japanese people. So when a person considers
Japanese ceramics they should be made aware that prior to the Edo period
(1603-1868 CE) luxury items like ceramic wares were foreign to Japan.
This may indeed come as a surprise. However, it is nonetheless true to
history. In fact, the ceramic industry of Japan made significant
progress with the development of the traditional tea ceremony. By the
start of the 18th century, Chinese wares listed in tea ceremony records
were four to twenty times more expensive than Japanese wares. As a
matter of practical use, everyday meals and banquet ceremonies were
served on lacquer ware or wood trays. These facts give rise to the
question of when Japanese ceramic wares began to appear in the culture.
What exactly changed?
First of all, lacquer itself has the quality of keeping food hot for a long period of time. Rice and soup are still served today with lacquer ware bowls in Japan. Ceramics were traditionally used for plates that contained spices or seasoning. Ceramic wares were basically commercial goods. Shops started to open in the larger cities of Japan. The imperial capital of Miyako was one place where such events started to occur. Tea utensils from storage rooms have been found in the vicinity of the Imperial Palace. During the 18th and 19th centuries, ceramic workshops usually had their own shops. Their wares were sold under a brand name rather than the name of the actual potter.
Toward the end of the 18th century, business had started to change too. There was a growth in the production of ceramic wares which had been attributed to the elevation of the general welfare of all social classes of the population of the larger cities. In a nutshell, ordinary people desired to have porcelain wares to rival the upper classes of society. Pots, jars, and other kinds of containers were also necessary to store goods in both shops and restaurants, not to mention the houses of ordinary people.
Some of the wares would include items like the Ninnami Dohachi tea pot, the Sake bottle with landscape decoration, the Kiyomuzu Rokube incense burner, and even plates with decorations of the saints with a tiger in three colors. These specific wares show differences of style and of techniques according to the means of the buyers. Mostly, they were intended for the circle of "intellectuals" and high nobility. However, when the increasing demand for the same kind of wares sounded from all social classes of the people differences can be seen in the material and decoration. This was a way for the upper classes to assert distinction between the fine ceramics of their class and the "other" kinds of ceramics for the population at large.
Japanese ceramic wares are beautiful to be sure. They add a distinctive touch of Japan to one's household and decor scheme. The tea ceremony is a very important and classic aspect of the culture which any Japanese person can relate to. The tea ceremony itself helped to bring authentic ceramic wares to the general population over time. Today, one's choice of Japanese ceramics is a truly tasteful way to add to your Asian home's appeal!
First of all, lacquer itself has the quality of keeping food hot for a long period of time. Rice and soup are still served today with lacquer ware bowls in Japan. Ceramics were traditionally used for plates that contained spices or seasoning. Ceramic wares were basically commercial goods. Shops started to open in the larger cities of Japan. The imperial capital of Miyako was one place where such events started to occur. Tea utensils from storage rooms have been found in the vicinity of the Imperial Palace. During the 18th and 19th centuries, ceramic workshops usually had their own shops. Their wares were sold under a brand name rather than the name of the actual potter.
Toward the end of the 18th century, business had started to change too. There was a growth in the production of ceramic wares which had been attributed to the elevation of the general welfare of all social classes of the population of the larger cities. In a nutshell, ordinary people desired to have porcelain wares to rival the upper classes of society. Pots, jars, and other kinds of containers were also necessary to store goods in both shops and restaurants, not to mention the houses of ordinary people.
Some of the wares would include items like the Ninnami Dohachi tea pot, the Sake bottle with landscape decoration, the Kiyomuzu Rokube incense burner, and even plates with decorations of the saints with a tiger in three colors. These specific wares show differences of style and of techniques according to the means of the buyers. Mostly, they were intended for the circle of "intellectuals" and high nobility. However, when the increasing demand for the same kind of wares sounded from all social classes of the people differences can be seen in the material and decoration. This was a way for the upper classes to assert distinction between the fine ceramics of their class and the "other" kinds of ceramics for the population at large.
Japanese ceramic wares are beautiful to be sure. They add a distinctive touch of Japan to one's household and decor scheme. The tea ceremony is a very important and classic aspect of the culture which any Japanese person can relate to. The tea ceremony itself helped to bring authentic ceramic wares to the general population over time. Today, one's choice of Japanese ceramics is a truly tasteful way to add to your Asian home's appeal!
Harlan Urwiler is an expert author on the subjects of Asian history, culture, folklore, art, and collectibles. His passion for the study and appreciation of East Asia is well known.
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