Bizen pottery kiln ruins
Bizen pottery kiln ruins is an archaeological site consisting of the remains of kilns for firing Bizen ware pottery from the end of the Muromachi period to the Edo period located in the Imbe neighborhood of the city of Bizen, Okayama Prefecture, in the San'yo region of Japan. The site is divided into three locations: The Inbe Minami-Ogama site, Inbe Nishi-Ogama site and the Inbe Kita-Ogama site. The Inbe Minami-Ogama site has been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1959, and the other two sites were added in 2009.
Overview
Bizen ware has ties to Sue pottery from the Heian period in the 6th century, and made its appearance during the Kamakura period of the 14th century, when changes in lifestyles have led to a demand for hard, durable and practical pottery for everyday use. Bizen was considered one of the Six Ancient Kilns by the scholar Koyama Fujio. Until the construction of the large kilns, small kilns were scattered throughout the mountains of Uraibe and Kumayama areas of former Bizen Province. However, as the popularity of Bizen ware increased, large kilns were built to meet the need for mass production from the late Muromachi period. The rustic taste of Bizen ware came to be prized in the Japanese tea ceremony that flourished in the Momoyama period, and the large kilns reached their peak during the Momoyama period and the early Edo period. During the Edo period, the Ikeda clan daimyo of Okayama Domain continued to support the kilns and gave special privileges to families who operated them. However, after the middle of the Edo period, ceramics began to be fired all over the country, and the sales of Bizen ware gradually declined, eliminating the need for mass production. From the mid-Edo period onwards, maintenance of the kilns became an increasing burden and by the Tenpō era in the latter part of the Edo period, the large kilns were abandoned in favor of smaller and more economic kilns.Inbe Minami-Ogama site
The Inbe Minami-Ogama site is located at the northern foot of Mount Kayabara, approximately 200 meters south of Inbe Station on the JR West Ako Line. It consists of three kilns: the east kiln, the central kiln, and the west kiln, along with a midden where damaged items and kiln tools have been discarded. The east kiln is the largest kiln in Japan, with a total length of 54 meters and a width of 5 meters. The central kiln is about 30 meters long and 2.3 meters wide. The west kiln is about 31 meters long and 2.8 meters wide. The kilns have a noborigama tunnel structure with an arched ceiling extending up the slope of the mountain. These kilns were used to mass-produce pots, jars, sake bottles, mortars, and other daily items. The amount of firewood required for one firing was up to 60 tons, and the kilns could fire 34,000 to 35,000 items at one time.Further west of the west kiln is the site of the Tenpō kiln, which was built around 1840 and was in operation until around 1885–1886. Approximately 18.5 meters long and 4.5 meters wide. In addition, a small Heian period kiln with a total length of about 4 to 5 meters and a width of less than 1 meter was found at an elevation of 70 meters halfway up the mountain.
The site was designated as a national historic site on May 13, 1959.