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It is with deep regret that we have to inform you that production of Somayaki is currently at a standstill. As you may be aware, the earthquake and tsunami which hit the Eastern coast of Japan on March 11, caused considerable damage to certain parts of Fukushima prefecture. Namie village, where the production of Somayaki is based, was doubly hit, both by the earthquake and by the accident at the neighboring Fukushima Dai ichi nuclear power plant. Being within a 20 km radius of the plant, all the villagers have been forcibly evacuated out of the area. We were deeply concerned about the whereabouts of the Sue family who produce Somayaki for our site and were very relieved to get word from them recently that they are safe. Having been on the move for weeks, they are now settled at an evacuation center in the Western part of Fukushima prefecture. However as their kiln was damaged by the quake, and as they have had no indication of when they can return to their hometown, we are unable to predict when Somayaki will be in production again. Artistic Nippon would like to offer its sincerest condolences to the Sue family and their fellow craftsmen in their current situation. It is our hope that the long and distinguished tradition of Somayaki will not be diminished by the tragedy and will emerge stronger than ever in the near future. This page will be updated whebever we have further news on the situation. |
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On May 12th the following article appeared in the Daily Yomiuri national
newspaper. As it features Mr. Toshiaki Sue, the craftsman who makes the Somayaki items on Artistic Nippon's page, we have translated it for our customers to read. Craftsmen vow to resurrect Somayaki Lying about 10km away from of the doomed Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, Namie town (Obori district)has been the home of Somayaki for over 300 years. The earthquake and subequent nuclear accident has spelled disaster for the area, with craftsmen and their families forced to abandon their kilns and seek safety elsewhere. However, their spirit remains strong and despite having to leave behind most of the tools of their trade, the craftsmen are united in their determination not to let the centuries old tradition of Somayaki perish. One of these craftsmen is Mr. Toshiaki Sue (67) who has been producing Somayaki for over 40 years. Having moved from one evacuation site to another since the accident, Mr. Sue has now settled in Kita Shiobara in the north-west of the prefecture. "Craftsmen are resigned to having their wares damaged by quakes," he said,"but I never thought I'd have to leave my hometown". While Mr. Sue has many worries to contend with, he tries to stave them off by practising a skill acquired from his grandfather, that of using a fine brush to draw the motif of a galloping horse (hashirigoma), which along with the distinctive blue, crackled glaze is one of the main characteristics of Somayaki. Many of Mr. Sue's fellow craftsmen also suffered damage to their kilns during the quake and are now scattered all over the prefecture and beyond. Mr. Sue described hearing the blast from the explosion at the nuclear power plant as "extraordinary" and added that he knew he had to get himself and his family out of the area as quickly as possible. In an effort to secure the future of their craft, Mr. Sue and about 10 other craftsmen gathered in the city of Nihonmatsu on April 23rd for the first meeting of their Craftsman's Association since the disaster. They all agreed that they need to be properly prepared for a return to Namie whenever that becomes possible and as a result decided to work towards setting up a communal kiln in the city so as not to let their skills get rusty. "Nothing can be achieved alone. We all need to work together to prepare for the day when we can return to Namie and take up our craft in earnest again". Upon hearing these words, we can only sympathize with their plight and join them in hoping that this day will not be too far away. (translated from an article by Yoshizawa Kunihiko, the Daily Yomiuri May 12th,2011) |
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| Somayaki was established in 1690 in Fukushima, Northern Japan. During the Edo period,
it enjoyed the protection of the Soma lords and grew to over 100 kilns,
making it one of the biggest and most important potteries in Northern Japan.
However with the advent of the Meiji restoration, the influence of the
lords declined and the number of kilns gradually decreased to the 27 still
in production today. Somayaki is proud of its history and draws from 300
years of tradition to create distinctive, unique pieces popular with collectors
everywhere. One of the most recognisable characteristics of Somayaki is
its "Hashirigoma"(galloping horse motif). The origin of the motif
is the subject of much speculation, but there can be no doubt that it is
related to Soma's long history of horse handling ( the "ma" in
Soma actually means "horse"). Over 1,000 years ago, horses were
used as a form of martial training. Warriors were prepared for battle by
trying to wrestle sacred banners from the backs of wild horses. This tradition
is re-enacted during the "Soma-nomaoi" festival held every July,
drawing many visitors to the area. The galloping horse motif is painted
on Somayaki following the tradition of the Kano School of Painting, one
of the most prominent and respected schools of art in Japan. Another unique
feature is the use of "double walls". The pieces are constructed
with an inner wall which can be seen through cut-outs in the outer shell.
As well as adding an interesting dimension, this feature also has the added
advantage of keeping the tea warm while leaving the outer surface cool.
"Aohibi" is the name given to the distinctive blue crackled glaze
seen on most Somayaki ware. A combination of these three distinctive features
combine to create warm, rustic pieces imbued with a sense of history and
peculiar to the area in which they are produced. |
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| ***SHIPPING CHARGES*** Due to the double-wall construction, Somayaki pieces are rather heavy and expensive to send. Our customers are often surprised at the high shipping prices, so in order to give a better idea of the actual cost, we have decided to quote prices inclusive of EMS (insured Express Mail) shipping to North America. Please do not hesitate to contact us for quotes to other countries. |
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