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Iga ware History After the early 17th century, however, the local authorities in Iga fell out of favor with the ruling Tokugawa clan and high taxation kept the kilns quiet. When the kilns started up in late Edo, they tended to produce more utilitarian wares that took advantage of the Iga clay's great fire resistance. In the late 19th Century, there was a revival of interest in the rugged beauty of Iga ware, causing a rediscovery and resurrection of firing techniques lost during the Edo era. With many skilled artists now working in the difficult tradition, contemporary Iga pottery is vibrant and maintains the combination of accidental and the sublime that is as craved today as it was 500 years ago. |
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Iga-yaki in the Kitchen |
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However, our favorite example of Iga-yaki — one which we covet but is far too heavy to bring back home — is the traditional Kyoto-style donabe. At a recent meal at the Michelin-starred Kamigamo Akiyama, we enjoyed rice made in this ancient vessel, which is glazed in black, makes enough rice for 10 and has a wide and shallow profile. To enhance and increase the rice’s okoge (crispy) coating, the chef hit the entire surface of the donabe with a blow torch. The resulting okoge — perfectly brown, crispy and fragrant — was then served with sea salt; a crunchy, flavorful snack that left us wanting more. We have a limited quantity of Iga ware at our Japanese tableware gallery, Mizuya. |