In almost every home in Oita Prefecture, there are one or two pieces of the local pottery Onta-Yaki, but it seems that most people don’t know much about the place where it is produced or the craftsmen who make these pieces. To find out about this ubiquitous pottery, I decided to visit “Onta-yaki no Sato” (the home of Onta Pottery) nestled in the Sarayama hills in Motoe above Hita City in Oita Prefecture.

Ten active kilns are snuggled together along the one road that runs up the narrow valley. Upon entering this area one hears a peaceful, rhythmic pounding that echoes throughout the village. It’s the sound of the karausu- large wooden mortars powered by the flow of stream water pounding the clay. Walking through the hamlet, I saw long wood-burning kilns, stacked firewood, large lumps of clay, and pots set out in the sun to dry. It felt like I had time-traveled back to a time long ago.

It’s the sound of the karausu- large wooden mortars powered by the flow of stream water pounding the clay. Walking through the hamlet, I saw long wood-burning kilns, stacked firewood, large lumps of clay, and pots set out in the sun to dry. It felt like I had time-traveled back to a time long ago.

In Onta, they have been making pottery using the same techniques for over 300 years. From preparing the clay to the final firing, everything is produced using traditional techniques, without any electricity or gas.

A couple of times a year, clay is collected from the local mountains and distributed equally among the 10 kilns. After drying in the sun for 10 days, the clay is then pounded by the stream-powered mortars for about 2 weeks, all day and night.

Once the clay has been pounded into a fine powder, it is placed into a large water vat and made into clay slurry. Impurities are removed and then the slurry is dried and it is ready to be used for production.

The potters use kick wheels (foot-powered potter’s wheel)- to make their pieces.

Once the piece is formed, Onta’s signature decorative designs such as tobikanna (chatter markings) and kushigaki (combed) lines are applied.

After a cream slip is applied, the pieces are lined up out in the sun to dry, then they are bisque-fired, glazed and finally fired in the wood-burning noborigama (multi-chambered climbing kiln built on a slope).

Women work behind the scenes preparing the clay, applying glazes, and providing support for the potters. I commented to a woman who was working there, ”It’s hard work, isn’t it?” She replied with a smile “This is fun.”

The same three families that have been working here cooperatively since the Edo Period are the same three families that live in Onta now. The Kuroki family has three kilns, the Yanase family has two, and the Sakamoto family has four. The Kobukuro family is a branch of the Kuroki family and they have 1 kiln- for a total of ten kilns. The potters of Onta work in cooperation and do not label their work with their individual names. They have worked together over several generations to maintain the quality of Onta-yaki, creating high quality pottery that can be used in daily life.
In the Onta region, they have held on to the values that have been lost in other places in Japan. Once you visit the home of Onta-yaki, you will surely look at this pottery with a fresh perspective and appreciation.

While in the region near Onta, I recommend trying the local dish, “Hita Yakisoba”, known for its crunchy noodles. The noodles are boiled and then baked on a hot metal plate. The yakisoba is served with crisp bean sprouts, pork and a light sauce- very simple. There are many shops that serve Hita yakisoba- try a few and discover which one you like best.