Seto Ware

Located in Aichi prefecture about 20 kilometers east of Nagoya, Seto lies nearly in the center of Japan. In Japanese, the term “Setomono”— literally, “Seto things”—has come to refer to glazed ceramics in general. This term reflects the representative role that Seto ware has played within the entire Japanese ceramic tradition.

Ceramic production in Seto began around 1000 years ago during the late Heian period (794–1185). Over time, production has continued without interruption, varying only to correspond to changes in domestic or world affairs. It continues to thrive today. Seen in global perspective, this kind of ceramics production center can only be said to exist in Seto. 

Production of brown and black-glazed (tenmoku) tea bowls, tea containers (chaire), and related utensils emerged in Seto around the 14th century, in the Kamakura period, alongside the rise in tea ceremony practice. In the latter half of the 16th century, tea ceramics culture blossomed and expanded to the Mino region. By that time, the Momoyama style of distinctly Japanese ceramics emerged, evincing a high level of design and creativity.

At the start of the nineteenth century, Seto potters successfully began to produce porcelain. One of the features of much Seto porcelain is cobalt blue decoration with a painterly style that could be mistaken for ink wash painting. Seto’s long history of two types of ceramics production—stoneware and porcelain—distinguishes it from other major ceramics manufacturing centers within world ceramics history.

In the 20th century, the modernization of industry progressed rapidly. While eating and drinking vessels and decorative objects were once the main products of Seto, in the twentieth century production diversified to include sanitary ceramics, insulators, scientific supplies, architectural ceramics, and more. It is said that ceramics that cannot be made in Seto do not exist. Truly a wide variety of ceramics have been made over the course of Seto’s history. 

In the Taishō period (1912–1926) during World War I, the worldwide importation of porcelain figurines from Germany was halted. In turn, Americans began to order porcelain figurines from Japan, and the manufacturing and export of porcelain figures began in Seto. Porcelain figurines became a leading product of Seto, especially after World War II. Referred to as “Seto novelties,” these figurines’ delicacy of shaping and decoration garnered praise in Europe and America as well as Japan.