The beginning of Sado Mumyoi Ware goes back to the late Edo period. Jinpei Ito made raku ware (hand molded pottery baked at a low temperature) using mumyoi from the Sado Gold Mine. Using that mumyoi, Tomitaro Ito started glost firing.
In the Meiji period (1868 - 1912), the first Jozan Miura and the first Sekisui Ito succeeded in making pottery with mumyoi. As the original Mumyoi Ware was poor in quality and fragile, they made effort to make Mumyoi Ware hard and firm and completed the vermilion ceramic clay pottery fired at a high temperature. Later on, highly artistic pieces were made, and Sado Mumyoi Ware became an artistic handicraft.
The number of Mumyoi Ware kilns increased mainly in the Aikawa region, the largest mining region in Sado, and Mumyoi Ware became known in Japan and overseas as an industry of Sado. In 2003, it was designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan.
The high level techniques of Mumyoi Ware are being passed down at each kiln in the Aikawa region.

1. 1. Collecting and preparing the soil The mumyoi soil mined from the Sado Gold Mine is sifted through a coarse sieve. After removing large rocks and tree roots etc., it is mixed with water to make slip. The slip is sifted through a slightly fine sieve and is dried until it is hard enough for forming. It is then spiral wedged to remove air bubbles from the clay.
2. 2. Forming The clay is formed on a potter's wheel.
3. 3. Polishing When the formed vessel is half dried, the surface of the vessel is pressed with a spatula to tighten and firm the clay. If there are parts such as the spout and handle, the seams are smoothed.
4. 4. Firing The vessel is fired at a high temperature.
5. 5. Sand polishing The surface of the fired vessel is polished with sand and cloth to bring out the lustrous bright red color. As the surface gets hot from friction and is dangerous, this sand polishing process is sometimes skipped in recent years.