Banko-ware: Pottery of Mie with 300 Years of History

Banko-ware: Pottery of Mie with 300 Years of History

The arts of Mie are the essence of Japan. Ise Katagami stencils revolutionized kimono design, Ise Momen cotton warmed the masses, and Suzuka-zumi ink colored calligraphy brushstrokes. As they rested from their work, these artisans likely sipped tea from Mie’s traditional pottery.

Written by Ren Wong

On the coast of Ise Bay, Yokkaichi City flourished in the 1600s as a seafaring port and transport hub on the Tokaido Road. Though the location had advantages, Yokkaichi potters lacked natural resources to compete with neighboring kilns like those in Kyoto. Instead, they survived by anticipating future trends and acquiring skills needed for each era. Such ingenuity drove Yokkaichi’s development into one of Japan’s main pottery production areas, a rise fueled by the fires of Banko kilns.

Photo by Banko no Sato Center

Banko-ware, or Banko-yaki in Japanese, was born from historical and cultural forces that merged in Nunami Rozan, a highly educated 18th century artist and merchant of Japan. As a son of a wealthy shipping merchant, Rozan learned the tea ceremony at an early age. His drive to perfect this age-old tradition partly led him to build his own kiln in the Obuke district of Asahi Town in Mie. There he fired ceramics stamped with the name “Banko Fueki,” meaning “everlasting,” expressing his aim to make “works to last through the ages.”

Photo by Banko no Sato Center

Banko-ware both followed and fed this wave of internationalism. Considered groundbreaking at the time, Rozan’s designs fused Japanese tastes with foreign ideas. Elements of Chinese porcelain and Dutch textiles, letters from the Dutch alphabet, and exotic animals like lions, giraffes, and elephants appeared in his free-spirited designs. These caught the eye of the Tokugawa Shogun, and Rozan became “official potter” of the shogunate tearooms, turning Banko-ware into the talk of the town.

Photo by Banko no Sato Center

Despite its 3oo-year history, Banko-ware remains a familiar, integral element of the modern Japanese dinner table. One of the best known of all is the earthenware pot known as donabe.

Today, about 80% of all donabe produced in Japan were fired in Banko kilns. Currently, more than 100 factories and wholesalers of Banko-ware in Yokkaichi City and Komono Town support a diverse industry of specialists in glaze, clay, molds, and base materials.

Ingredients like vegetables, meat, and fish gently simmered together in one pot is known as “nabe cuisine,” a traditional favorite wintertime dish in Japan, as friends and family gather around the aromatic steam rising from the vessel. The donabe is widely accepted as the best choice for this kind of cooking due to its outstanding ability to conduct and retain heat. In recent years, beyond the well-known function and design, its durability, longevity, and uses beyond nabe cuisine have been garnering more and more attention.

Photo by Banko no Sato Center

Banko no Sato Center in Yokkaichi City is a doorway to the world of Banko-ware. The gallery showcases various works, the shop offers a selection of Banko pottery, and a workshop offers the chance to make your own ceramic art. The fires of many Banko-ware kilns burn in the neighborhood, and you’re sure to find the perfect piece in local shops.

Photo by Banko no Sato Center

Better yet, why not try and make your own? Feel what it’s like to be a ceramic artist and mold clay into your own creation in the roughly 2-hour ceramic workshop instructed by professional artists in a full-fledged studio. There is also a more casual program where participants paint designs on the cup or clay pot of their choice. Let your imagination run free and decorate the vessel with pictures or text to fit your fancy.

※The finishing process takes a few weeks or up to a month, so please consult the facility staff about how best to receive the finished product.

Nearby, on the 1st floor of Banko Kogyo Kaikan, the BANKO Archive Design Museum exhibits fine modern works of Banko, focusing on higher-end pieces of the genre. Enjoy coffee and cake served in Banko-ware cups and plates at the museum cafe.

Photo by Banko no Sato Center

Finally, to truly enjoy Banko-ware, don’t miss the Banko Festival, a major event held once a year during the national holidays at the beginning of May near the Banko no Sato Center and Banko Shrine (in 2022, the event location and dates were changed due to the pandemic).
Countless Banko-ware potters, dealers, and creators open pop-up shops among lines of tents overflowing with Banko-ware. See donabe and teapots that represent the best of modern Banko-ware design, in addition to a variety of less common items such as tableware and vases. The artistry, craftsmanship and exceedingly reasonable prices attract many pottery fans from outside Mie to the city, for a lively, dynamic event.

Photo by Banko no Sato Center

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