Aizuhongo ware is pottery and porcelain that originated in Aizumisato Town (Formerly Aizuhongo Town), Fukushima Prefecture. Aizuhongo ware started in 1593 when the feudal lord, Gamo Ujisato, summoned roof tile manufacturers from Satsuma Province to make roof tiles for Tsuruga Castle.
In 1645, under the orders of the lord of the domain, Hoshina Masayuki, a potter by the name of Mizuno Genzaemon was summoned from Seto. Mizuno built a full-scale foundation for pottery. After that, the kiln was managed by the Mizuno family and flourished as an official kiln of the domain. They made a lot of teaware ordered by the lord of the domain as well as everyday pottery.
After that, in 1800, Sato Ihei, who trained in Arita and Kyoto, taught the manufacturing methods of porcelain, and perfected the archetype of the current Aizuhongo ware. With 17 potteries, they are currently the second largest in the industry in the northeast after Obori Soma ware (Namie Town, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture).
At Aizuhongo ware, they use ameyu glaze (caramel glaze). As the name suggests, ameyu has an amber luster. Since long ago, traditional pottery coated with ameyu glaze has been used as nishin bachi for making Japanese-pepper pickled herring.
