Awataguchi 粟田口 kiln. Also called awatayaki 粟田焼. A ceramic ware that was made in Awataguchi, at the foot of Higashiyama 東山 in Kyoto. The Awataguchi kiln probably was started in the Keichō 慶長 era (1596-1615). At first, Awataguchi wares were copies of Chinese-type tea jars *karamono 唐物 *chaire 茶入, and of koseto 古瀬戸 (old seto, see *setoyaki 瀬戸焼) and Korean Koguryo teabowls. Then the kiln made many imitations of Ninsei 仁清 style teawares and tablewares in polychrome overglaze, *iro e 色絵 tōki 陶器, and ko-kiyomizu 古清水 styles. At that time, awataguchiyaki was central to early Kyoto ceramics *kyōyaki 京焼. Some old wares have 'awataguchi' or ''awata' seals. Such distinguished potters as Iwakurayama 岩倉山, Kinkōzan 錦光山, Taizan 帯山, Tanzan 丹山, and Hōzan 宝山 worked at the kiln. In the second half of Edo period, the Awataguchi kiln made good multi-colored pottery in competition with the iroe jiki 色絵磁器 (multi-colored porcelain) of the Kiyomizu 清水 area. From Meiji period, Awataguchi ware was known popularly as kyō-satsuma 京薩摩 (Kyoto-style Satsuma ware).