Tamba Ware: A Timeless Tradition of Japanese Pottery

_{Tamba Village / photo courtesy: The Tambatachikui Ceramic Ware Cooperative}

_{View of The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo with a Tamba Jar / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

Japan is renowned for its traditional pottery regions, with six notable areas known as the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan that have stood the test of time. Among them, Tamba—also called Tachikui or Tamba-Tachikui—stands out and has continued to evolve over a millennium. Recognized as an intangible cultural property of Japan, Tamba ware has always been deeply intertwined with daily life, adapting to reflect changing lifestyles. In recent years, contemporary pieces like flower vases and flat plates have become more popular, seamlessly fitting into modern living.

Crafted in the Tachikui area for around 800 years, Tamba ware initially focused on practical items such as jars, urns for water and grain storage, and cooking mortars. Today, about 60 kilns continue this legacy, producing a wide array of items that supply the needs of everyday life. While often linked with simple red clay jars and urns, Tamba ware actually encompasses all ceramics made in Tamba and has no fixed style.

The tranquil rural landscape around Tachikui provides a picturesque backdrop for Tamba ware's creation. Despite its peaceful village charm, it's only about an hour's drive from major Kansai cities like Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, and about two hours by train. The area near Sasayama Castle, a key spot for Tamba Sasayama tourism, is about a 20-minute drive away, making it a popular destination for travelers using taxis or rental cars.

_{Tamba Village / photo courtesy: The Tambatachikui Ceramic Ware Cooperative}

The diversity and adaptability of Tamba ware are partly due to the unique distribution methods of Tamba Sasayama craftsmen. Unlike many other pottery regions where middlemen handled distribution, The craftsmen often delivered their creations directly to shops in cities like Osaka and Kyoto. This direct interaction kept them in tune with urban trends, allowing them to create pieces that resonate with people and meet their contemporary need.

_{Vessels / photo courtesy: The Tambatachikui Ceramic Ware Cooperative}

_{Tamba Artist on the Wheel / photo courtesy: The Tambatachikui Ceramic Ware Cooperative}

The tradition of passing down Tamba ware through generations is deeply rooted in this ancient craft. Masters often hand over the names of their houses (studios) and the knowledge of techniques, kilns, and clay recipes to their children, usually the eldest sons. If a master has multiple children, the second child is expected to establish a new house and adopt a new name.

While there are occasionally newcomers from outside the Tamba pottery area, such instances are rare. This rarity is likely due to the long-standing customs of this old village, which can be challenging for outsiders to adapt to.

Historical Evolution of Tamba Ware

_{Shoujou - Tamba Jar, 13th century / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

_{Sake Bottle with Floating Cherry Petals in the Stream - Tamba, 19th century / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

The historical timeline of Tamba-ware is rich and fascinating. Tamba ware’s roots stretch back to the end of the Heian era (794-1185), based on local production of Sueki pottery (unglazed ceramics). It also absorbed techniques from Tokoname ware and Atsumi ware, produced in the Tokai region. During the Middle Ages, Tamba ware primarily consisted of pots and mortars. The bright brown surface of Tamba ware transforms in high kiln temperatures, becoming a beautiful yellow-green natural glaze.

_{Tamba Ash Glazed Water Jar with Hand Pail-Shape, 17th century / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

In the Edo period (1603-1868), sake bottles and pots slip-painted with “akadobe,” a material rich in iron, became popular for their striking red color. The period saw the introduction of the noborigama and keri rokuro, revolutionizing production and diversifying products, leading to innovations in glazes and techniques. Tamba tea pots and mortars were highly sought after and exported to Kyoto, Osaka, and Edo.

The Kamaza pottery association initially controlled the market, later taken over by the Sasayama clan, spreading Tamba ware across Japan. By the Meiji to early Showa eras, transportation expanded distribution, leading to the production of major items like sake and soy sauce bottles, and flower pots. Later, chestnut-colored “Kurikawa-glaze” and white slip-painted, multicolored overglaze items emerged, adding to the area's diverse ceramic techniques. Tamba ware, along with the other five ancient kiln sites, was recognized as a Japan Heritage site in 2017.

_{Tamba Sake Bottle Covered with Akadobe (red-brown slip), 17th century / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

_{Square dish with White Slip, Shigeyosi Ichino, 1985 / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

_{Large dish with brown slip, Shigeyosi Ichino, 1991 / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

The Oldest Tamba Ware Climbing Kiln

_{Tamba Climbing Kiln Outlet (Beehive) / photo courtesy: The Tambatachikui Ceramic Ware Cooperative}

One of Tamba ware's most distinctive features is its long climbing kilns, built along hillsides. The oldest Tamba ware kiln, established in 1895, is still operational today. It has been registered as an Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property of Hyogo Prefecture, and its construction technique has been designated as an “Intangible cultural asset of which records should be created” by the Japanese government. By 2014, the kiln had aged significantly, necessitating two years of restoration.

_{Tamba Climbing Kiln Interior / photo courtesy: The Tambatachikui Ceramic Ware Cooperative}

This effort, led by the Tamba Tachikui Ceramic Ware Co-Operative with support from citizens and volunteers, brought the kiln back to life. It was fired again in the autumn of 2015. Since 2016, the kiln has been used annually to fire pieces created by children, university students, volunteers, and other local artists. Starting in 2018, the kiln firing became part of the Spring Festival events, continuing the tradition and cultural heritage of Tamba ware.

_{Student Using the Climbing Kiln / photo courtesy: Konda Elementary School}

_{Kiln Firing / photo courtesy: The Tambatachikui Ceramic Ware Cooperative}

The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo

_{The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

Located in the "Tamba Pottery Old Village," the Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo is a cornerstone of the region’s cultural heritage. Opened in 2005, the museum promotes ceramic and porcelain culture, fosters international exchange, and supports educational initiatives. It cultivates future artists, collaborates with schools, and offers ceramics workshops and classes on ceramic culture, including Japanese tea ceremonies using Tamba ware.

By hosting events and working closely with the local community, the museum helps revitalize the “Tamba Pottery Old Village” area. A visit to the museum is essential for anyone wanting to understand Tamba ware deeply. The museum houses over 3,000 pieces, showcasing the diverse colors, shapes, and uses of Tamba ware across different periods. While Tamba ware is often associated with simple red clay jars and urns, the permanent exhibition reveals the rich variety of styles and techniques that have evolved over centuries. This exhibition highlights Tamba ware's close ties to everyday life, reflecting changes in lifestyle through the ages and featuring modern pieces that seamlessly integrate into contemporary life.

_{Observation Deck at The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

_{Exhibition Wing at The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo / photo courtesy: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo}

CONTRIBUTOR

HIDEKI DOI

Hideki Doi is the Assistant Director at The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo. He is also the Vice Chair Person at the Sister City Committee between Walla Walla, WA. U.S.A. and Tamba Sasayama, Japan.

The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo

The Ceramic History of Westerwald, Germany

The Origins - The Westerwald Clay Region

The vast and extensive clay quarries in the Westerwald region represent the largest connected deposits in Europe. Only a few other regions in the world are known to have clay sources of comparable size and quality. The Westerwald clay is distinguished by its exceptional ductility, virtually impurity-free composition, and excellent sintering properties. These clays are perfectly suited for stoneware production–a high-fired, waterproof, acid-resistant, impermeable clay.

The rich clay resources, together with abundant timber in the region, earned Westerwald the moniker "Pot Bakers’ Land" or Kannenbäckerland. The proximity of major long-distance trade routes such as the Salt Way and the Rhine, key European arteries, was pivotal in transforming Westerwald and its stoneware into an international success story.

Stoneware from Inception to the Renaissance

Kilns capable of reaching temperatures up to 1200 °C were documented in the Rhineland as early as the 13th century. The oldest documented evidence of pottery kilns in Höhr dates back to the year 1402.

Extremely poor working conditions, warfare, and penury triggered migration movements across Europe, including the Westerwald region. Around 1600 skilled pottery masters from the Rhineland, Raeren in Belgium, and Lorraine began migrating to the so-called Pot Bakers’ Land (Kannenbäckerland). They infused fresh vitality into local craftsmanship, bringing new forms, decorative motifs, and new glazing and firing techniques. As a result, the pottery trade in the region experienced a major boost in the following centuries.

During this period, the distinctive pottery of the Pot Bakers’ Land developed: a grey, salt-glazed stoneware vessel adorned with cobalt blue painted decorations. The vessel shapes often show a carinated or angular shape achieved by the emphasized articulation of the different body parts through fluting or ridges. Cobalt blue painting was complemented by additional decorative techniques such as stamping and applications.

These vessels were embellished with depictions of prince-electors, bishops, biblical narrative cycles, and very mundane scenes featuring barn dances or mercenaries. Apart from everyday household ware produced for local sale, the potters also worked on commissions that were traded and sold internationally. Westerwald stoneware had become a product on the global market!

The Baroque Period

In Germany, the Baroque period, a new Italian style that developed after the deprivations of the Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648), had a significant impact on pottery. Westerwald experienced an economic upturn, leading to the establishment of new potteries everywhere. In 1771, the guild in the Pot Bakers’ Land (Kannenbäckerland) reached its zenith with six hundred master craftsmen in twenty-three villages. Aside from these, there were many so-called Schnatzer–individuals who, for various reasons– could not or should not be named master. The increasing number of competing potters led to a decline in quality, subsequently causing prices to fall. Faced with this situation, regional authorities were forced to take regulatory measures.

In addition to everyday pottery, craftsmen in the region specialized in creating drinking vessels, figurines, and ornamental pieces. Appliqué as adornment became popular—lozenges, medallions, rosettes, or blossoms were intricately and elaborately crafted and placed. Furthermore, new patterns were introduced, such as hatched lines or impressions made using a wooden stick and stamped decoration.

The products originating from the Kannenbäckerland were renowned for their high quality supra-regionally. Affluent clientele, including the aristocracy, entrusted and commissioned the potters with their specific wishes and needs. This is evident in the personal crests or emblems, such as "GR" for George Rex (King George of England).

Historicism:

18th to 19th Century

From the 18th century onwards, traditional stoneware products faced stiff competition from European porcelain and modern stoneware, gradually losing favor among solvent customers. Out of necessity, the potters focused on producing greyish-blue everyday household tableware up to the middle of the 19th century.

A turning point occurred in 1864 with the recruitment of Bohemian modeler Reinhold Hanke. The long-desired technical and artistic change finally began as Hanke applied his skills to the hitherto traditional stoneware production, collaborating with

Peter Dümler, a talented designer in his company. By 1872, they developed a plaster vessel mold for repeated use, accommodating a thrown clay barrel. This new method enabled Hanke to create intricate, custom-made objects. Honored at world fairs and the recipient of numerous international awards, Hanke is seen as a legitimate heir to the long-standing Rhenish stoneware potters.

Progress now took its course. Driven by factory owners Friedrich Wilhelm Merkelbach II and Georg Peter Wick, improvements in industrialized production increased significantly. This marked a transformative era where traditional German stoneware could now be efficiently mass-produced.

Moreover, the educational reforms initiated by the Prussian government led to the establishment of three major technical colleges devoted solely to ceramics: in Landshut, Bavaria (1873); in Höhr–Grenzhausen (1879); and the former Silesian Bunzlau, now Bolesławiec in Poland (1897). The potter's craft transitioned from being solely passed down through hands-on apprenticeships to becoming a subject of scientific research and analysis, reflecting a broader spectrum of knowledge and skills beyond traditional workshop teachings.

Art Nouveau

During the increasing industrialization, an artistic counter-movement arose all over Europe at the turn of the 20th century, striving for a renewed strengthening of individualized craftsmanship.

To prevent the region's stoneware manufacturers from missing the boat, internationally renowned artists and designers were engaged. In 1901, Henry van de Velde (1863-1957) arrived in Westerwald, sparking a radical shift in stylistic approach. Simultaneously, Peter Behrens (1868-1940) contributed style drafts and templates, infusing the traditional greyish-blue appearance of Westerwald stoneware with a contemporary design.

Certain factory owners, including Simon Peter Gerz I, Merkelbach & Wick, and Reinhold Merkelbach, took an active role and established successful connections with renowned artists like Richard Riemerschmid (1868-1957). This collaboration ushered in a period of artistic renewal and innovation within the Westerwald stoneware industry.

To ensure their survival, the majority of companies continued manufacturing conventional household stoneware. Products embodying the Art Nouveau spirit appeared overly ornate for the average customer, leading to limited success for these new ceramic offerings. Only a select few companies achieved success with these new ceramic products.

Mass Production in the Post-War Period

After a reduction in output during World War II, pottery factories gradually returned to pre-war levels of activity in the 1950s, with a primary focus on the mass production of tableware. The Westerwald potteries emerged as the main designers and producers of the Fifties, experiencing a flourishing business that led to the creation of numerous new jobs. For instance, the Jasba company saw a sixfold increase in its workforce between 1948 and 1955.

Immigrant workers from Italy and Turkey also found employment in the concentrated pottery industry, centered mainly around the town of Ransbach-Baumbach. This economic miracle in the stoneware industry ushered in an era of prosperity for the Westerwald region, which endured until the 1990s.

Developments in Craft During the 20th Century

In contrast to other fields of fine art, the evolution of ceramic arts unfolded gradually and without sharp stylistic incongruities. This continuity was partly because handicrafts were not condemned as degenerate art by the Nazi regime; instead, they were supported for their perceived (Germanic) folksiness.

Potters such as August Hanke (1875-1938) and Elfriede Balzar-Kopp (1904-1983) received high acclaim in national and international competitions for their traditional craftsmanship.

In the post-war period, Westerwald potteries survived by producing crockery in the style of the Thirties. As economic conditions improved, potters began to experiment once again, seeking more individualized forms of expression. The ceramic vessel started to free itself from its traditional role as a functional object, evolving into an autonomous art object. Creative principles from the fine arts and performing arts, such as assemblage, repetition, rhythm, or deconstruction, were applied to ceramics.

^{Elfriede Balzar-Kopp carving pattern, probably 1930s - photo courtesy:
Kreisbildstelle des Westerwaldkreises, Foto Georg Gerlach}

Contemporary Art in Höhr-Grenzhausen

Those working or studying at the State Technical College for Ceramics (Fachschule), the Institute for Ceramic and Glass Arts (IKKG), or those active in the many workshops of the region share a common curiosity about what ceramic and glass materials can convey and how to express the art form.

But, the long history of Westerwald stoneware also calls for reflection: What does this place and region mean to us? How does our ceramic culture relate to neighboring regions or other cultures? Many artists employ century-old pottery techniques like wheel throwing or salt glazing to create new and contemporary objects. Every two years, students carry out a firing in the last functioning traditional salt kiln. By immersing themselves in this historical continuum, the region remains vibrant and well-prepared for its artistic future. The narrative of Westerwald pottery continues!

CONTRIBUTOR

Nele van Wieringen has been the Director of the Keramikmuseum Westerwald since 2018. She completed her master's degree at Koblenz University, Institute for Ceramic and Glass Arts in Höhr-Grenzhausen. There, she earned her doctorate in collaboration with the University of Art and Design Linz with a thesis on the art-theoretical conception of color in ceramics.

The Mapping of American History: "Points of Origin" at C24 Gallery

C24 Gallery - Chelsea, NYC 
560 W 24th Street 
New York, NY 10011

To the left, right, horizon, and periphery, fifty conical ceramic masks of various proportions are plotted throughout the gallery, echoing an ominous air. The staccato-sharp masks, coated with buzzing blues and adorned with pointillist protrusions, are animated with disconcerting expressions, interlocking and confronting viewers with their cryptic and unwavering gaze. Taking a reticent step closer, the contours of masonite prayer fans and plotter ink drawings featuring symbolic and figurative imagery emerge—anchoring the abstracted hoods with narratives personal to the artist, Tammie Rubin.

Originating from multiple axes to create a nexus of works revolving around the common theme of faith, Points of Origin, C24 Gallery’s latest exhibition, serves as a documentation of Rubin’s extensive historical research, a celebration of her master craftsmanship, and an intimate glimpse into her lineage. Although the ensemble of pieces possess contrasting formal qualities and viewpoints, David Terry, the director of the gallery and curator of the show, explains:

“When you think of the point of origin, and where you come from, that could be from many places. [Rubin’s] work and this body of work come from many different areas of her life, African American culture, American culture, women in her family, and the threads that make up the fabric of the country.

So when she was bringing [the pieces] out, I got really excited because they’re all from the same context, but she's exploring different media. And I love it when artists carry the same theme through but realize and recognize it through different forms, communicating at many levels to many different people.”

Creating a metaphysical altar and paying homage to her family and the Black American experience, the varying vantages harmonize in spiritual unison with their shared explorations of The Great Migration and Reconstruction—subjects Rubin hadn’t considered in her practice until she migrated to Texas in 2015. She elaborates:

“It was specifically about this idea of moving to Austin. You know, I moved here for a job, and that's when I started to think about my parents in a historical context. I'm taking from my family stories and then expanding that into larger research about other Black families that have had this experience and whose stories haven't been told. I’m reflecting on conversations about Black Americans having their history not being represented in our world.”

In fact, according to author Isabel Wilkerson, The Great Migration—a period from roughly 1910 to 1970 when six million African Americans mass relocated from the Jim Crow South to the North—was “the greatest and biggest underreported story in the 20th century.”

^{Always & Forever (forever, ever) No.14 - Photo by Daniel Krieger, courtesy of C24 Gallery}

As the descendant of parents who migrated and met in Chicago (mother from southern Mississippi and father from Memphis, Tennessee), Rubin unveils their neglected history and memorializes her family and Black families alike in an archival collection.

^{Always & Forever (forever, ever), Drift No.2 - Photo by Daniel Krieger, courtesy of C24 Gallery}

^{Always & Forever (forever, ever), No.24 - Photo by Daniel Krieger, courtesy of C24 Gallery}

A clan of three ceramic hoods with pigmented Delphinium and Vivid Blue skin and scars of Radiant Red stand on a floating shelf by the entrance. The central figure, with a leveled head resembling a motherboard, represents a map of Chicago. Similar patterns of cities and migratory paths are also present on other masks in her Always & Forever (forever, ever) series.

On the right of the No.17 tribe, a funnel-shaped form with sgraffito rain strokes, dots, and beaded relief creates a sensational feast for the visual cortex. Although the mask isn’t directly portraying routes, the dynamic movement metaphorically alludes to migration as the pulsating red synchronizes and dances with the blue.

The particularly pointy, slanted hood has a more regal personality. Embellished with an obscured badge, a symbol originating from the Medieval Period, the hood contemplates power, principally within the context of law enforcement. Laced with Medieval and magical influences, the masks may appear solely, or most familiarly, to reference the Ku Klux Klan, but they also attribute to Knight and Shaman helmets, dunce caps, and wizards.

Rubin builds sizable, totemic red stoneware forms as seen in her Unknown Ritual Mask series and practices slip-casting smaller everyday objects—cones, funnels, food containers, and vintage lighting—reconfiguring them into non-functional headdresses. After making a mold, she speedily scratches, carves, punctures, and pipes beading onto the surface as they quickly dry.

“I think of all the mark-making that is repetitious as black bodies moving through space and time, so I’m physically marking that onto the surface of the ceramic forms. […] I’m interested in how to suffuse the form with another point of visual communication through the surface itself.”

Rubin then paints the pigmented porcelains, with sumptuous lines, shapes, and stencils. Some cones resemble Abstract Expressionist and contemporary paintings, others African beadwork, Aboriginal mark-making, and ornamental designs.

The exhibition is filled with a profusion of symbols. The plotter ink drawings portray hagiographical portraits of her grandmother, mother, and aunts all adorned with turnip, mustard, and collard green halos—food staples prominent in Rubin's upbringing. Masonite fans, framing the ceramic cones, are symbolic references to the prayer fans that were predominantly present in black churches and funeral homes to keep the congregation cool. Marked with text, figures, floral, dotted, and migratory patterns, the iconographical fans provide a window into the past and become profound relics that take on resonance and emanate the power of faith.

Rubin’s cerebral and complex perspectives are captured in Points of Origin, a transcendental exhibition visually and conceptually mapping and highlighting one of the most significant and overlooked demographic shifting events that will forever change the structure, history, and future of the United States of America. She emphasizes, “Black history is not separate from American history. These are Americans.” The diverse array of works converges into a singular point of origin, commemorating and celebrating the contributions and stories of Rubin and Black families who’ve built the foundation of the country.

“There is no American culture without black American culture. You can't say, well, they did it. We did it. We did it together.”

- Jacob Lawrence

Visit C24 Gallery at 560 W 24th Street New York, NY 10011, or explore and learn more about the exhibition "Points of Origin" and Tammie Rubin's works online at C24 GALLERY