Raku ware had its roots in sancai ware of the Ming Dynasty China. Now it goes beyond Asia to become globally known as “Raku yaki”.
Roots of Raku ware
When the technique of Raku ware originated?A recent study proved that Raku ware shared technical roots in sancai ware of the Ming Dynasty China from the Henan Province. Colourful sancai ware with green, yellow and brown glazes later became also known as Cochin ware to group this type of colourful glazed ware in Japan. During the Momoyama period Henan sancai type came into production in various kilns in Japan including Chôjirô's. Despite being produced by the same type of glazing and firing techniques as those of the original Chinese sancai ware, these Japanese native are aesthetically quite varied in particular in form and glaze tone. Raku ware, though evolved from the Chinese colourful sancai ware, have developed a particular glazing method characterized by exclusive use of monochrome black or red glazes, the red being the colour of the red clay body. The monochrome world of black and red: Raku ware reflects directly the ideal of wabi aesthetics advocated by Rikyû who made a great impact on Chôjirô, the artist.
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| Henan three-colour glazed sancai plate(16~17c) | Black Raku tea bowl named “Kôtô” by Chôjirô(16c) |
