The role that pottery has played in development of the Japanese aesthetic and culture has been substantial. Japanese pottery has evolved over the centuries into a high art form. Since the Kamakura period (1183-1333), wood-fired pottery from the six oldest historic Japanese pottery centers (Bizen, Echizen, Tanba, Seto, Shigaraki and Tokoname) helped to cultivate a unique artistic appreciation that represented subtle understated beauty. Zen monks were among the first to extol the virtue and…