Taisen Nanban Daruma Muji Kyusu

Banko-yaki dates back to the era of Genbun (1736-1740), during the Edo period, when the merchant-turned-craftsman Nunami Rozan of Kuwana, who was captivated by the Way of Tea, built a pottery to make teaware and other goods in what is today Obuke, located in the town of Asahi in Mie Prefecture.

The seeds of one man’s hobby have grown into a world-renowned class of pottery, of which the Shidei Kyusu—recognized as a “Traditional Craft” by the Japanese Minister of Economy in 1979—is a proud symbol. Today, there are more than 100 banko-yaki potteries centering around the cities of Yokkaichi and Komono in Mie Prefecture. The “shidei” teapot, along with the earthen pot, is the hallmark of Banko-yaki.