Tokoname is not a ceramics city that became famous at some point. It was the largest from the beginning. Among Japan's six ancient kilns — the Rokkoyo — Tokoname is considered the oldest and, in the medieval period, the largest pottery region in the country. Around 3,000 medieval kiln ruins have been documented on the Chita Peninsula in Aichi Prefecture. No other region in Japan comes close to that number. Continuous production since the late Heian period — around the year 1100. Nine centuries of clay.
The Six Ancient Kilns — and why Tokoname comes first
The term Rokkoyo was coined around 1948 by ceramics scholar Fujio Koyama to describe the six Japanese pottery regions that have produced continuously since the medieval period: Tokoname (Aichi), Seto (Aichi), Echizen (Fukui), Shigaraki (Shiga), Tanba-Tachikui (Hyogo) and Bizen (Okayama). In 2017 they were collectively designated Japan Heritage.
What sets Tokoname apart from the other five is sheer scale and age. Tokoname's pottery techniques spread in the 12th century to Echizen, Tanba, and Shigaraki. The others learned from here. Three factors explain the dominance: the iron-rich clay deposits of the Chita Peninsula, formed from sediments of the ancient Lake Tokai (650,000 to one million years ago), sufficient timber for fuel, and direct access to Ise Bay for maritime trade.
Shudei: the iron-red clay and its effect on tea
The innovation Tokoname is now known for worldwide — the Shudei Kyusu — is surprisingly recent. In 1854, potter Jumon Sugie (1827–1897) produced the first Shudei teapot from the region's iron-rich red clay, inspired by Yixing ware from Jiangsu, China.
What makes Shudei clay distinctive? The reddish colour — shu means vermilion — comes from a high iron oxide content (Fe₂O₃). In contact with hot water and tea, a chemical interaction takes place: iron ions bind to the tannins and catechins in green tea, softening their astringency. The bitter edge recedes; the L-theanine-based Umami notes come forward more clearly.
This is not marketing. The mechanism — iron ions as tannin binders — is chemically sound. The unglazed pores also absorb tea aromas over time, conditioning the pot to a particular tea. A Shudei Kyusu is broken in with a single tea type and stays with it.
Yakishime: the other Tokoname
Alongside Shudei sits Yakishime — high-fired, unglazed stoneware. The older of the two traditions: the medieval storage vessels shipped across Japan were Yakishime. Darker, denser, less porous than Shudei. More neutral in its interaction with tea — suited to bolder green teas, aged teas, or Oolong.
The forms and their function
Kyusu (急須) — side-handle teapot. Precise pouring without effort. For Sencha, Kabusecha, and most Japanese green teas at 60–80 °C.
Ushirode Kyusu (後手急須) — handle opposite the spout, like a European teapot. Slower, more controlled pouring. Tozan Yamada, whose work is in our exhibition, specialises in this form.
Hohin (宝瓶) — no handle. Gyokuro is brewed at 50–60 °C — warm enough to hold. The direct contact gives feedback on water temperature.
Shiboridashi (絞り出し) — shallow, bowl-like. No strainer; the lid holds back the leaves. Ideal for large-leaf teas and concentrated infusions.
Yuzamashi (湯冷まし) — cooling vessel. Takes hot water and brings it down to brewing temperature. With Gyokuro, where ten degrees too many ruins the cup, it is a necessity.
The potters in our exhibition
Seiji Ito — Shudei and Yakishime. His Hira Kyusu is unusually low and wide, which allows even extraction at a shallow leaf depth. Thin walls, light weight, understated appearance.
JUNZO — Hon Shudei across an unusually broad range of forms: Kyusu, Gaiwan, Hohin, Yuzamashi, and white porcelain. A potter who thinks about brewing holistically.
MIZUNO — Hon Shudei cups and Yuzamashi. Cups in Shudei clay are rare; Mizuno's pieces carry the conditioning effect of the iron-rich clay through to drinking directly from the vessel.
Tozan Yamada — Ushirode Kyusu in Hon Shudei. In Tokoname, the name Yamada carries weight: Yamada Jōzan III received the designation of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhō) in 1998 for his Shudei Kyusu — the first potter from Aichi Prefecture to receive that honour.
YOKEI — Yakishime Shiboridashi. Dark, dense surface in a concentrated brewing form — for tea drinkers who want directness.
KOHOKUJO — Yakishime Kyusu in the classic side-handle form. Dark clay, visible kiln markings, substantial presence.
How to choose a Tokoname teapot
Shudei for steamed Japanese green teas — Sencha, Kabusecha, Gyokuro. The tannin-binding effect is most noticeable with teas that carry astringency. A Shudei teapot conditions itself over time.
Yakishime is more versatile, but less interventional. For rotating between different types, Oolong, or aged teas.
Size: 100–200 ml for concentrated multiple-infusion brewing. From 300 ml for one to two cups. Care: rinse with water only, never soap. Allow to dry completely after use.
Exhibition: Tokoname at UNEARTHED — 13 June to 4 July 2026
From 13 June 2026 we are showing over a hundred pieces from Tokoname: Kyusu, Hohin, Shiboridashi, Ushirode teapots, cups, Yuzamashi — Shudei and Yakishime, from six potters. The exhibition runs until 4 July 2026.
Over the opening weekend we are hosting guided Shincha tastings with Oscar Brekell: fresh first-flush tea from Japan, served in Tokoname teapots. Places are limited — tickets here.
Tokoname is not a trend. It is the oldest, most productive, and technically most refined pottery tradition in Japan — from a city that turned clay into a functional work of art.
