This small mortar was made at the Oujigama kiln in Seto, central Japan.

In the suribachi style, such mortars were originally used for crushing sesame seeds and other ingredients.

With a long history within Seto ceramics, before the advent of electric blenders they were a staple product at the Ouji kiln.

Today they remain practical items, with the combed ceramic base a pleasing surface on which to work when combined with a wooded pestle (surikogi). These are available separately.

Those made by Oujigama are fired to a high temperature, so the combed ridges will stand up to wear.

It is 5cm high, and 11cm in diameter. It weighs around 165g and has a capacity of 93ml

*As handmade items, there are differences between them.

**About Oujigama**

Oujigama is part of the ceramic heritage of the Seto region of central Japan. Ceramics have been made in Seto over an unbroken one thousand year history. Oujigama has been active since the late 18 century, a period just before production in the region shifted largely from stoneware to porcelain. At this point ceramic items in Japan were often referred to as ‘Setomono’ (‘things from Seto’), an artefact in language that remains. The roots of Seto ceramics are in its soil, with some of the country’s most suited geology for pottery. Onto this natural resource has been built layers of human experience, and Oujigama established itself making mortars and other items for the growing towns. The workshop of the kiln, built at the turn of the 20th century, is one of the finest surviving examples of its type. It is here that the Kato family have sought to keep the flame alive. A major moment was in 1968, when a decision was made to cease production in a fourteen chamber wood fired kiln - something recorded in a film made at the time (and shown at Cannes and elsewhere). Since then works at Oujigama have been fired in the large chamber of an oil-fired kiln, a method too that has become rare. Another major recent moment was when circumstances led the business to pass to Soya Kato in his mid-twenties. He has sought to bring the talent and skill for making carved in his DNA into areas fitting to current needs. The handmade warmth of items made in the Oujigama kiln, hence continue to reach users that value their utility and style.

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