One of the questions we are often asked in the shop is, "What is the difference between Kyo ware and Kiyomizu ware?"
In fact, "Kyo ware" and "Kiyomizu ware" are not terms that refer to clearly distinct types of pottery today.
What is "Kyo ware"?
From the Momoyama period to the early Edo period, kilns producing refined pottery emerged in Kyoto alongside the culture of the tea ceremony.
This pottery made in Kyoto gradually came to be known as "Kyo ware" and has been passed down as the representative pottery of Kyoto.
What is "Kiyomizu ware"?
In the late Edo period, the areas around Gojozaka and Kiyomizu-dera Temple developed significantly as pottery-making districts.
At that time, pottery made around Kiyomizu-dera Temple was called "Kiyomizu ware."
Later, the name "Kiyomizu ware" also came to be widely used, and today it is affectionately known as one of the names used to refer to Kyoto pottery.
Today, "Kyo ware/Kiyomizu ware" is often listed together even in department stores.
Kyo ware and Kiyomizu ware do not have a single, fixed technique or style.
Influenced by Kyoto's rich culture, including the tea ceremony, the Rinpa school, and painting, artisans have expressed their respective skills and sensibilities in their vessels.
The ability to enjoy a wide variety of expressions is also one of the great charms of Kyo ware and Kiyomizu ware.
