About Ojiyama Pottery

Ojiyama pottery is a kiln directly operated by the Sasayama clan, which began around the Bunsei era (1818-1830) at the end of the Edo period. It has a short history and was closed after the Meiji Restoration, but during that time it is a noteworthy porcelain kiln that produced many excellent products.

A map from the early Meiji period shows a "pottery factory" on Ochiyama mountain in the Jyoto area. There were 12 large climbing kilns using kiln tools such as Takohama and Nuke. There are three factors that could be considered behind the opening of Ochiyama ware kiln. First, the feudal lord at the time, Aoyama Tadayasu, had served as a senior councilor for 31 years and was at the heart of the shogunate and wanted it as a social item for the feudal lords. Secondly, Tamba ware, which was located within the same domain, had made remarkable progress in terms of potter's wheel and glazes.

Finally, in the neighbouring domain of Sanda, a porcelain kiln known for its Sanda celadon was prospering, and the master craftsman Kinkodo Kisuke was there to provide guidance.

Kinkodo Kisuke (died in 1837 at the age of 73) was born into a family of puppeteers in Fushimi and studied under Okuda Eisen, a fellow pupil of Aoki Mokubei and Ninnami douhachi. He particularly excelled in celadon molds and carved patterns, and was knowledgeable enough about pottery techniques and glazes in general to write the "Pottery Instruction" in 1820. Many inscribed wares from the early Bunsei era remain at Ochiyama, and it is believed that Ochiyama kilns were at their peak at that time.During the Tenpo period (1830-1844), Kisuke was succeeded by the local master craftsman Ryukido Kameshichi. After that, business deteriorated and the kilns were closed for several times. Towards the end, the ceramic artist Gyouuntei came to Sasayama, but his works did not reach the level of his early works. Despite its short history, Ochiyama ware's works are diverse. From the Bunsei and Tenpo eras, there are excellent celadon wares and complexity painted blue and white porcelains. A wide variety of other works are also produced, including molded white porcelain and overglaze red porcelain. The Ochiyama kilns were destroyed when the feudal domain was abolished in 1871, but these items are still passed down in families in the Sasayama region. Furthermore, in 1987, an excavation survey was carried out on the remains of a pottery factory (around 2,000 m2), and a report on the survey was published. The following year, the Ojiyama Pottery Factory, also named Ojiyama Pottery Factory, was rebuilt on the southern foot of Mt. Ojiyama.