Kyoto ware. General name of the ceramic wares of Kyoto (except *rakuyaki 楽焼), beginning in the Momoyama period and often decorated with polychrome enamels. In the early 17th century, a potter (or potters) from Seto 瀬戸 moved to Awataguchi 粟田口 and made copies of Seto ware *setoyaki 瀬戸焼 in the *karamono 唐物 (Chinese) and Kōrai 高麗 (Korean), sabi-e 銹絵 (rusty painting), and *sometsuke 染付 (blue-and-white china) styles. Between 1655 and 58, Nonomura Ninsei 野々村仁清 perfected *iro-e 色絵 techniques by employing aspects of oshikōjiyaki 押小路焼 together with the styles of Chinese kōchiyaki 交趾焼 and *shippō 七宝 (cloisonné). Ninsei's luxurious tea-related wares, made at his kiln in Omuro 御室 near Ninnaji 仁和寺, were patronized by aristocrats and samurai 侍, establishing a strong patron base for kyōyaki. Ogata Kenzan 尾形乾山 (1663-1743) developed these traditions at the end of the Genroku 元禄 era (1688-1704). Later most kyōyaki kilns moved to the Gojōzaka 五条坂 area below Kiyomizudera 清水寺. In the Bunka 文化 and Bunsei 文政 eras (1804-30), Okuda Eisen 奥田穎川 (1753-1811) and Aoki Mokubē 青木木米 (1767-1833) made porcelains. With the fashion for green tea sencha 煎茶, Chinese-style sometsuke and iro-e jiki 色絵磁器 (multi colored porcelains) dominated with these iro-e jiki commonly called *kiyomizuyaki 清水焼. At this time such great potters as Takahashi (Ninnami) Dōhachi 高橋 (仁阿弥) 道八 (1783-1855) and Ogata Shūhei 尾形周平 (1788-1830) gained fame. Because much kyōyaki derives from foreign models, the ware exhibits a wide range of techniques: pieces may be wheel thrown, formed by hand or using molds: Stamp inka 印花, comb kushime 櫛目, inlay *zōgan 象嵌, and slip trailing itchin イッチン are common design techniques; and dipping, dripping, trailing, painting, and spraying are used to apply the primarily mineral glazes.
