Ōbori Sōma Ware

The agency of the Sōma clan officially decreed that “no Seto Ware artisans may leave the domain”. The Sōma clan established the Seto public office in a bid to promote Ōbori Sōma Ware as the domain´s special product and made efforts to protect and nurture the craft, such as by providing financial aid and procuring raw materials. Thanks to this, pottery firing at Ōbori as a side job for farms spread to neighboring Hakkamura and by the end of the Edo period there were over 100 potteries. 

Several craftsmen set off to Mashiko to commence the production of Mashiko Ware to provide their expertise on pottery making. The sales routes further extended to include Hokkaido, Kanto region and even the Shin’etsu region, expanding to become a large production area. Consequently, production techniques were introduced and led to productions in other prefectures, such as Mashiko Ware and Kasama Ware. 

Devastated by the impact of the war, Ōbori Sōma Ware fell into a dark period which lasted until the end of the Pacific War. After the war, however, the production site was quickly revived through exports to the United States. In 1950  double-walled yunomi teacups with the words "Made in Japan" shown were exported and brought on a great boom in the appreciation of the cups. In the States these were popularly known as "idea cups" or "double cups". In 1978 the former Ministry of International Trade and Industry (today’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) designated Ōbori Sōma Ware as a traditional craft. As it was difficult for anyone to enter and work at a traditional pottery run under the system of isshisōden (transmission from father to only one son) and that these potteries failed to follow market trends, sales decreased year by year after the bubble burst. In addition, with no successors to take over production, many potteries eventually closed down.

The sacred horse of former Sōma clan is depicted; it is also known as hidari-uma "horse facing the left" which in Japanese means “having no equal”) and thus popularly used locally as an auspicious motif. It is skillfully drawn by hand in the "galloping horse" style typical of the Kanō School.

The “double walls” structure allows the user of the vessel to easily hold the vessel with hot liquid inside and prevents the hot liquid from getting cold. This rare technique is only found in Ōbori Sōma Ware. The technique may well have been the result of trials and errors made to improve the ease-of-use of daily Ōbori Sōma pottery and ceramics.

The shaped and dried piece is then carved according to the type of product it is going to be, such as cutting the base, shaving the surface, and decorative carving to make patterns like the tobikanna pattern. Depending on the design needed, a piece may be decorated by cutting out flower shapes, applying mud, pressing out chrysanthemum flowers; or carving designs once the clay is completely dry. The readied clay piece is first left in the shade to dry before drying under the sun. This is necessary because the clay will crack and deform due to contraction if rapidly dried. 

Glazing is done with uwagusuri glaze using various methods such as by immersing the biscuit-fired vessel in the glaze, by pouring the glaze around the vessel, or by allowing the glaze to flow down the vessel.

As a final touch, liquid ink is rubbed into the surface and cleaned off with a cloth to enhance the appearance of the cracks of the baked vessel.