Kiyomizu temple and Kiyomizuyaki

Kiyomizu Temple,according to the legend, was first erected by Tamura-maro, a warrior of Saka-no-ye, who one day, while pursuing a stag on a hill near Kyoto, happened to come across a Buddhist novice, named Enchin, seated under a tree by a waterfall.

The latter had been striving for many years, but without success, to carve from a log lying near at hand, an image of the godness, Kawannon.

In token of his admiration of the patience and devotion shown by the novice, Tamura,not long after ordered his own house to be taken down and rebuilt near the cascade as a shrine for the completed image.

The modern temple occupies the same place on the hillside,and commands a fine views of Kyoto and its environs.

It is decated to the Eleven-faced,Thousand-handed Kawnnon,whose seated image,about five feet height,is enclosed in a shrine opened but once in thirty-three years.

Kiyomizu temple is to be built in the same style as the Shi-shin-den with the addition of a wooden platform in front,called the Butai or Dancing Stage,which is supported on a lofty scaffolding of solid beams.

This platform overhangs a deep ravine that divides the main temple from the surrounding hills. The street called Gojodori,leading down the hill from Kiyomizu temple towards the Kamo river,is lined on both sides with a row of shops in which blue porcelain (seto-mono) is sold. Some of the dealers are descendants of families that followed this industry here generetions ago.

The beginnings of the potter's art in Japan may be traced back to pre-historic times,as coarse earthen vessels,fashioned with inferior tools,have been found in ancient tombs.

A marked improvement took place,however after 724 ,A.D.,at which date the Rokuro,or potter'wheel,was introduced by Giogi,a Buddhist priest.

Among the tresures of the Todaiji temple at Nara,there is a collection of black,earthen pots and vases, made probably,at that time,which show great skill in using this important apparatus.

The introduction of cha-no-yu, or ceremonial tea-parties,about 1473,A.D.,in the Shogunate of Ashikaga Yoshimasa,proved a great stimulus to the manufacture of pottery.

Tea cups, tea pots, and jars in which tea was kept, were much in demand,and Hideyoshi,the tea parties were brought up to a high degree of excellence,being more perfectly organaized,and governed by strict ceremonial rules. About 1570, Ameya, a potter from Corea, settled in Kyoto, where he made a ware covered with black glaze, that was highly valued by the votaries of cha-no-yu.

In token of approval, Hideyoshi bestowed upon him a golden seal,being the character,raku(delight),and from that time his wares were called raku-yaki. Ceramic art made a distinct advance after the invasion of Corea(1592),as Japanese potters accompained the army into that country.

On their return they brought home some specimens of clay,and by command of Hideyoshi,burned the ware made from it after the Corean method.

The porcelain industry in Kyoto was established about 1650 at Higashiyama on the east side of the Kamo river.

In this district,are included the potteries at Kiyomizu,Gojozaka,and Awata.
About that time , the potter,Ninsei,made use of a transparent glaze for his wares,which are also noted for well designed decorations.

At kiyomizu,blue and white porcelain is made.

The kilns of Awata produce faience somewhat resembling Satsuma.

The pale yellow ground is finely crackled,and painted in gold and brilliant colors. Early in the present century, a kind of porcelain decorated with gold on a bright red ground, was perfected by a potter,named Riozan.

A prince of the Tokugawa family admired it so much that he gave to the maker the name of Yeiraku(enjoyment),which was afterwards applied to the ware. previous to the downfall of the feudal system(1871),workers and designers in clay were not common laborers as in other countries,but ranked as artists and belonged to the official classes.

Pottery and porcelain in all parts of the empire were fashioned according to the designs of the master-craftsman at Kyoto.

whitin the last few decades,under the influence of Industrial Exhibitions at home and abroad, Japanese artists have made great progress in all branches of ceramic art.

The most important houses at the present day,as,Dohachi,Rokubei,and others,have adapted themselves to the tastes of their foreign customers.

Their wares are distinguished by great hardness,purinty transparency,and a beautiful white ground that sets off the cobalt blue decoration.

Cloisonne enamel,a mode of decoration on metal and porcelain,is produced in Kyoto with marvellous skill.

In this style of ornamentation good taste in combining colors is specially conspicuous.

This industry arose towards the end of the sixteenth century.

The process consists in soldering flat brass wires around the edges of designs traced on a copper vessel, and filling the cells thus produced with enamel colors.

The vesse in then fired,and the ornameted surface,ground and polished.

A diffferet process is required for enamels on porcelain.

Lacquer painting on pottery is a method of decoration in which the surface to be embellished is first covered with a net-work of brass cells,then filled with a lacquer ground,and family painted over with the same material.

In cloisonne Enamels,the work of Japanese artists,since 1875,has been especially exellent; but it is to be regretted that,untill thirty years ago,the existence of this Art Industry in Japan was unknown in Europe.

Visitors of Japanese Sections in the Columbian Expositions are respectfully informed that the Kyoto Exhibitors's Association is prepared to fill orders for Kiyomizu porcelain,and Awata faience,also for enamels on copper and porcelain.