Otani-yaki (Otani ware)
Also written: 大谷焼 · 大谷烧
Produced in Naruto City for about 250 years, Otani-yaki is a traditional pottery regarded as one of Tokushima Prefecture’s representative crafts.
An Illustrated Japan / Tokushima / Culture & Tradition
About this place
Otani-yaki is the pottery of Otani, Oasa-cho, Naruto City, an economically designated Traditional Craft and prefectural craft, ranging from large art jars to living ware. History begins around 1780 when a potter Manya, also called Bun'emon, from Bungo Province en route on the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage demonstrated wheel throwing in Otani village. The village headman Mori Kisuke built a kiln using local reddish clay to make fire extinguisher pots. In 1781 Lord Hachisuka Haruaki opened a domain kiln producing Awa's first sometsuke porcelain but closed after three years due to cost. In 1784 indigo merchant Kaya Bungoro and local.
