\n| Kneading<\/td>\n | Water is added and carefully kneaded until it becomes a uniform clay consistency.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n This process prepares the clay for shaping.<\/p>\n <\/span>Process from Shaping to Firing<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"Process](\"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image1-3-11.webp\")
\nThe shaping is done using the aforementioned “sleeping potter’s wheel” technique. Here is the flow of the process from shaping to firing:<\/p>\n
Shaping with the Sleeping Potter’s Wheel<\/h4>\nThe clay is transferred to the wheel, and craftsmen work in pairs to shape it using the “sleeping potter’s wheel” technique.<\/p>\n Drying<\/h4>\nThe shaped ceramics are first dried in the shade, then in the sun. Large ceramics need several weeks of drying. Insufficient drying can cause cracks or warping during firing, so this step must be done carefully.<\/p>\n Glazing<\/h4>\nAfter drying, glaze is applied to the ceramics. Techniques such as dipping and pouring are used to give the ceramics unique colors and luster. Bisque firing is done in a kiln at about 800\u00b0C for 8-16 hours.<\/p>\n Firing in a Climbing Kiln<\/h4>\nThe glazed ceramics are fired in a climbing kiln. The firing temperature is about 1,230\u00b0C, and the firing process takes several days. High-temperature firing results in hard and durable ceramics.<\/p>\n In this way, Otani Pottery is created through traditional techniques and a time-consuming process, highly valued as powerful and beautiful ceramics.<\/p>\n <\/span>Modern Developments in Otani Pottery<\/span><\/h2>\nWhile Otani Pottery is a traditional craft of Tokushima Prefecture with over 240 years of history, in recent years, many products have been created to suit modern lifestyles while preserving tradition. In modern times, while utilizing large ceramic manufacturing techniques, Otani Pottery has expanded into daily tableware and interior art.<\/p>\n <\/span>Expansion from Daily Tableware to Art Pieces<\/span><\/h3>\nOtani Pottery used to primarily produce large ceramics like indigo vats and water jars used in indigo dyeing, but now many products suitable for daily use such as mugs, teacups, and rice bowls are being made. This has made it easier to incorporate traditional techniques into daily life.<\/p>\n Recently, the use of Otani Pottery in interior design has also expanded. Many pieces that can serve as room accents, such as vases, ornaments, and wall hangings, are being produced, taking advantage of the natural texture of the ceramics and simple designs.<\/p>\n In particular, products that match not only Japanese-style rooms but also Western-style rooms are gaining attention as modern Japanese-style decorative items. In this way, Otani Pottery provides its techniques and beauty in various forms, from traditional products to items suited for modern lifestyles, and its potential continues to expand.<\/p>\n <\/span>Conclusion: The Appeal of Otani Pottery and the Future of Tradition<\/span><\/h2>\nOtani Pottery is a historical traditional craft of Tokushima Prefecture, with its major characteristics being the manufacturing techniques for large ceramics and the unique texture from using local distinctive clay. It produces not only practical ceramics like indigo vats but also daily tableware and interior art pieces adapted to modern lifestyles.<\/p>\n In recent years, while preserving the traditional techniques of Otani Pottery, new designs and uses have been incorporated, increasing its popularity among younger generations and overseas. While high-level techniques of craftsmen such as the sleeping potter’s wheel method and firing in climbing kilns are being passed down, products that match modern life are being created.<\/p>\n Otani Pottery continues to evolve to suit the times while preserving tradition, and its beauty and practicality will continue to be highly valued by many people, producing popular items in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Otani Pottery, one of Tokushima Prefecture’s representative traditional crafts, is known for its manufacturing techniques of large ceramics such as indigo vats (ai-game) used in indigo dyeing and water jars (mizu-game). Otani Pottery is highly valued not only for its practicality but also as an art craft due to its size and unique texture. This<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5285,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[84],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-crafts"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5282"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5282\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.kogei-japonica.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} |
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