Inkuzan Pottery
Former Tottori Domain Kiln
inkyuuzan
Once the finishing touches are complete, the items are dried by adjusting the height of the shelves.
The unglazed pottery is packed tightly with no gaps. Refills should be done carefully as there is a risk of breakage.
The opening is sealed with bricks and then plastered with clay. Compared to the Honyaki process, there is no flame, so only a moderate amount of clay is applied.
Terracotta pottery is sensitive to sudden changes in temperature, so firewood should be added carefully.
We have finished cooking in the large stove and have started adding firewood to the first room.
This is the inside of the kiln. The soot on the surface has come off and it has turned slightly red.
The kiln was opened the next day.
The piece is taken out of the kiln, the ash is brushed off and the piece is glazed. This is a transparent ash glaze called Gohonte being applied.
After drying for a certain amount of time, the clay is put into the kiln.
We are currently placing bowls in the first room.
The unglazed shelves will be removed and replaced with fire-resistant boards.
The second chamber is filled with glaze that melts even in low temperatures.
There are several types of pod pots available: large, medium, small, and square.
This time, since the kiln is small, we will use the smallest Kozaya.
Clean the outside and inside of the pot and apply alumina to prevent the container from sticking to the pot.
It is carried into the kiln.
Use a spirit level to make the level and then stack eight pods.
The centre of the shelf is glazed with straw ash, which melts at high temperatures.
Once all the chambers are filled, the opening is sealed with bricks. Because the kiln is old and the opening and floor are irregular, it is not possible to stack bricks of a specific size.
This is a peep hole called a "iromi" located above the fire opening, from which you can see what's going on inside the pottery during firing.
Once all the walls of the rooms have been sealed with bricks, the plaster is trodden down. It is kneaded until it is firm enough to stick to the gaps between the bricks.
During firing, flames will shoot out with great force, so apply the paint carefully so that there are no gaps.
Once you have finished applying the plaster, cover the firewood opening and the wood panel with newspaper to prevent debris, stones, etc. from getting in.