Kiyomizu Porcelain Tea Pot

With a history stretching back to the Momoyama period (1573-1600), Kiyomizu-yaki —also referred to as Kyō-yaki— is a type of pottery produced in Kyoto. Originally, Kiyomizu-yaki referred to pottery produced in the Higashiyama ward of Kyoto City, specifically the ones made in Kiyomizuzaka—a one-kilometre-long stone street leading to Kiyomizu Temple. Kyō-yaki on the other hand was a general term for all pottery produced in Kyoto. With the rapid development of tea culture, however, came the demand for beautiful and authentic pottery from Kyoto, which has always been held in high regard for its excellent craftsmanship. This lead to the expansion of Kiyomizu-yaki pottery to other areas of Kyoto, becoming more diverse in its patterns, techniques and materials. Over time, the widespread nature and variety of Kiyomizu-yaki resulted in it becoming a general term for pottery produced in Kyoto, and the term is now used interchangeably with Kyō-yaki.