Traditional craft
Tobe Yaki
砥部焼
Thick, sturdy porcelain from Tobe near Matsuyama, painted with bold blue brushwork and once made for tables across Southeast Asia.
Key facts
- Officially recognised
- 15 December 1976
- Type
- Ceramics
- Region
- Shikoku
- Official name in Japanese
- 砥部焼
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 松山市、伊予郡松前町、砥部町
Porcelain built for everyday
Tobe Yaki is warm, solid porcelain from local stone, painted with bold blue sometsuke brushwork. There is also soft celadon made with natural ash, used for vases. The result is practical, friendly ware. It is made in Tobe, Matsuyama and Masaki in Ehime, where about 90 kilns line the streets.
From whetstone to porcelain
Local porcelain stone is crushed and refined in water to make clay, then thrown on the wheel. Designs are painted in gosu, which turns blue in the fire, then glazed and fired at about 1,300°C.
Recycling whetstones
In the mid-Edo period, to help its finances, the Ozu domain began making porcelain from the waste of Iyo whetstones, a local speciality, and brought potters from Hizen, the famous porcelain area in today's Saga and Nagasaki. After the Meiji period, Tobe grew as a maker of tableware for Southeast Asia. After World War II, with guidance from Yanagi Soetsu of the folk-craft movement, it turned from mass production to handmade, hand-painted porcelain.
Good to know
- Tobe sits on the Median Tectonic Line, like Kyoto and Arita; you can see the fault at the Tobe thrust fault park on the Tobe River.
- With about 90 kilns in a small town, Tobe is easy to explore kiln by kiln, a short trip from Matsuyama.
Questions travellers ask
What does Tobe Yaki look like?
Thick white porcelain with bold blue brush designs, plus soft celadon pieces.
Did Tobe export to Southeast Asia?
Yes, after the Meiji period it grew as a maker of tableware for Southeast Asia.
Where it comes from
More crafts from the same area
Local foods from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.