“Shiraiwayaki
Shiraiwayaki was brought here in 1771 by Matsumoto Unshichi, a ceramist from Soma. He left Shiraiwa five years later, but his disciple, Yamate Gisaburo, laid the foundation for Shiraiwayaki. In 1785, Kichigoro built his kiln. For roughly 70 years, these two kilns dominated the production of this art form. In the early years, they produced mostly pottery for the lord and upper society, but gradually shifted to producing local commodities such as jars and sake bottle containers. Around the end of the Edo period in the 19th century, production peaked thanks to the additional kilns of Kanzaemon, Magobei, Taichiro, Kichijuro, and others. However, since the late 19th century, production slowed as white porcelain became fashionable and the government prohibited the home brewing of sake. The great earthquake in 1896 destroyed the kilns, ending 130 years of production. After more than 70 years, in 1975, Shiraiwayaki was revived under the guidance of master Hamada Shoji (who is acknowledged as “a Living National Treasure” by the State).”
