Bizen is named after the village of Imbe, Bizen in Okayama prefecture. It has a history of more than 1,000 years, which makes it one of the oldest pottery making techniques in Japan. It is made using either a mixture of two kinds of clays with different densities, or rough clay that has a rich deep reddish brown color because of its high iron content.
Bizen wares are fired slowly over a long period of time. Firings take place only once or twice a year. They require the wood fire to be kept burning for 10-14 days involving long hours and tons of wood.
