Page 320 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

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mouth. The neat, concise form, made seeds) could result from the ash in the kiln 242 Fresh water container
from a relatively fine-grained clay, pro- atmosphere. It was possible to control Mino ware, Shino type
vides a sympathetic surface for the red di- which parts of a piece would be affected h. 19.2(7^/2)
agonal streaks, hidasuki, which resulted by the flames and ash by masking with Momoyama period,
from shielding a vessel wrapped in rice other objects. late loth century
straw from direct contact with the flames Archaeological excavations through- Nezu Institute of Fine Arts, Tokyo
during firing. The straw burns away, leav- out Japan have revealed that in the medi-
ing the hiddsuki on a background of un- eval period, the Bizen complex was only
scorched white clay. one of more than thirty in Japan where
Hidasuki are but one of several char- utilitarian stoneware objects, primarily
acteristic Bizen firing effects that were tsubo (jars), kdme (wide-mouthed jars), and
highly regarded by tea patrons. Depending suribdchi (grating bowls) were fired. Dur-
on the placement of an object within the ing the Muromachi period, production
kiln and its position in relation to the path was concentrated at fewer but larger kilns,
of the shooting flames and the shower of suggesting the start of cooperative efforts.
ash from the burning wood, different fir- Ready access to ports on the Inland Sea al-
ing effects would result. Pieces placed di- lowed the establishment of a distribution
rectly in the flames would be dramatically system to markets around central Japan.
scorched. Light flecks of natural glaze (tea Further consolidation seems to have oc-
men likened their appearance to sesame curred by the late Muromachi or early
Momoyama period, concentrated around
three large kilns to the north, south, and
west of the village of Inbe in Bizen, where
production continued through the Edo
period. AMW

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