Museum Collection Exhibition
Yakishime Ceramics
Feel the Clay- Saturday, September 13 – Sunday, October 19, 2025
| Closed | Closed on Mondays, except September 15 and October 13, and closed on September 16 and October 14 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.（last entry: 4:30 p.m.） |
| General admission (On-line timed-entry tickets) | Adult 1300 yen, Student 1000 yen |
| Gallery | 1, 2 |
Yakishime ceramics are unglazed wares fired at a high temperature, so that the clay vitrifies. In Japan, these simple ceramics have been treasured in the world of tea since the middle ages as works of great aesthetic value. That preference began with wares produced in China and Southeast Asia and known as Namban-mono. Then, domestically produced yakishime ceramics from Shigaraki, Bizen, Iga, and other kiln centers achieved popularity. In the modern period, as medieval pots and jars gained popularity, yakishime wares were newly evaluated as objects of appreciation.
This exhibition presents the yakishime wares that Japanese most admire, with a focus on the distinctive features of each production area. “Feel the clay and cherish it”: please enjoy the diverse fascination of these wares, and their uniquely Japanese aesthetic.
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Tea Bowl, Named Mizunoko
Shigaraki ware - Ceramic
- Japan Momoyama–Edo periods, 17th century
Nezu Museum - Shigaraki yakishime ceramics have been fired in the area around what is now Koka city in Shiga prefecture since the latter half of the thirteenth century. These wares’ feldspar and other inclusions emerge as white dots, and the natural green glaze glows on the surface, which develops a red hue in firing. This work is known as a tea bowl masterpiece, of which there are few examples from Shigaraki.
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Dish
Bizen ware - Ceramic
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Japan Momoyama–Edo periods, 17th century
Nezu Museum - At the end of the twelfth century, Bizen ware production began in the area around the city of Bizen, in Okayama prefecture. Bizen ware is renowned for its powerful forms, clay that develops a red hue in firing, and its natural yellow goma (sesame seed) glaze. The striking round botamochi marks on this dish are caused by stacking smaller dishes on it in firing.
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Namban Fresh Water Container
- Ceramic
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Vietnam, 16th–17th centuries
Nezu Museum - Namban refers to ceramics and metal vessels thought to have been produced in Southeast Asia and China. They include many yakishime works, such as this example. After their introduction into Japan, they were appreciated in the world of tea and became the model for Bizen and other yakishime ceramics in Japan.
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Vase, Named Jurōjin
Iga ware - Ceramic
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Japan Momoyama-Edo periods, 17th century
Nezu Museum - Iga ware was produced in near the city of Iga, in Mie prefecture. It is thought that Iga developed from Shigaraki, the neighboring kiln center. Distinguishing between them is difficult. Magnificent vases with striking distortions, like the one we see here, are, however, distinctive to Iga and highly regarded in the world of tea.