Raku Ware was originally from Japan in the town of Kyoto and was named after the Raku family during the 16th Century. At this time, the Emperor Hideyoshi had conquered Korea and the native potters immigrated to Japan bringing with them pottery techniques and knowledge. The pots were produced for the Zan Buddhist tea ceremony and the decorating and firing of the pots were part of the tea ceremony. Bernard Leach introduced Raku into the west after living in Japan and China setting up pottery in St. Ives, England in 1920. It is still popular today, and made almost worldwide....
last thirty years because it gives great expression and the excitement of drawing red hot pots from the kiln and smoking in sawdust and unpredictable results suit many potters. It was introduced by Bernard Leach into England in the 1920s and revived by Paul Soldner in the United States in the 1960s. Some of the original potteries established in Staffordshire in the 1700s are still producing pottery today, with many of their items sort after by collectors world-wide. Where Staffordshire is famous for its mass production, Raku Ware is more individual especially because its techniques often produce unexpected results.