Table of Contents Chapter 1: Shigaraki's Ancient Kilns...1 A. The Advent of the Kiln...1 B. Shigaraki's Ancient Kilns...6 Chapter 2: Anagama Kilns I Have Built...11 A. Description of Anagama Kilns...11 B. Pros and Cons of Anagama Kilns...11 i. The Firebox and Firing Chamber...11 ii. Firing Rhythm...12 iii. Stoking Techniques...12 iv. Visually Monitoring the Firing Progress...13 v. Temperature Control...14 vi. Duration of Firings...14 vii. Economic Comparison...15 viii. What is the Kiln's Purpose?...15 C. Why Choose Anagama Kilns?...15 D. Anagama Kilns I Have Built...17 i. The First Anagama I Built...17 ii. Improvements to My First Anagama...20 iii. The Third Kiln...22 iv. The Fourth Kiln and Those After...23 v. My Current Anagama Kilns...25 Chapter 3: Anagama Design...27 A. Anagama Construction...27 i. Top View...27 ii. Side View...28 iii. Cross-section...29 iv. Kiln Structure...29 v. Ash Pit...30 B. Size of Anagama Kilns...31 i. Width, Height, Depth...31 ii. Wall Thickness...33 C. Orientation of Anagama Kilns...35 i. South Slope and Wind...35 ii. Sunny and Dry...36 iii. River and Humidity...36 iv. Conditions of the Kiln Site...38 D. Chimney...38 i. Circumference and Height...38 ii. Purpose of the Chimney...41 iii. Sutema (Fire Playing Space)...42
Chapter 4: Building the Kiln...47 A. Materials...47 B. Slope...52 C. Foundation...55 D. Laying Bricks...59 i. Laying the First Row...59 ii. Filling with Sand...59 iii. Preparing Kiln-clay...60 iv. Laying the Second Row...61 v. Shape of the Kiln-clay Space...61 vi. How to Lay Bricks...62 vii. Laying the Third Row...62 viii. How to Lay Bricks In Order to Make The Arch...63 E. Arch Frame...64 i. Attaching Split Bamboo Along the Inside of the Foundation...66 ii. Building Arches Using Bamboo...68 iii. Installing the Ridgepole...70 iv. Standing the Posts...71 v. Stabilizing the Posts and Ridgepole with Crossbraces...71 vi. Attaching Girders Parallel to the Ridgepole...72 vii. Adjusting the Arch Shape...73 viii. Attaching Ceiling Stringers...74 ix. Using Bound Bamboo for the [Arch] Basket...76 x. Constructing the Entrance/Exit Arch...77 F. Raising the Arch Ceiling...78 i. Clean the Foundation Bricks...79 ii. Stack Bricks in a Row...79 iii. Laying the Entrance Arch Bricks...80 iv. Laying the Ceiling of the Main Body of the Kiln...81 v. Shaping Bricks...84 vi. Stabilizing Bricks with Kiln-clay...84 vii. Plastering the Finishing Coat...86 viii. How Long to Take in Building the Ceiling...86 G. The Sutema...87 H. Chimney...88 I. Finishing the Kiln Interior...90 J. Trends in Pottery and Kilns...93
Chapter 5: Loading the Kiln...95 A. Flame Movement Inside the Kiln...95 B. Temperature Distribution...96 C. Interior Shelving...97 i. Kiln Shelves...98 ii. Kiln Shelves and Posts...98 iii. Constructing the Floor...99 iv. Stabilizing Kiln Shelves...100 v. Hitotsu Narabe...100 D. Actual Loading...101 i. Principles of Loading...101 ii. Arrangement of Pottery...102 iii. Sequence of Loading...104 E. Loading Strategies...104 i. Hi Iro Shadows...105 ii. Koge...106 iii. Upside-Down Firing...106 iv. Shell Marks...108 v. Other loading Plans...108 F. Loading an Iga Kiln...109 Chapter 6: Firing the Kiln...113 A. Regarding Fuel...113 i. Characteristics of Pine Firewood...114 ii. Reasons to Use Pine Firewood...117 iii. Firing Conditions and Fuel...118 B. Necessary Quantity of Fuel and Its Preparation...118 i. Standardizing Firewood...119 ii. Drying Firewood...119 iii. Amount of Firewood to Prepare...121 iv. Other Fuels...123 C. Ceremony for the Start of the Firing...124 D. How to Fire the Kiln...124 i. Preheating...126 (a) Where to Build the Preheating Fire...126 (b) Reasons to Preheat...127 (c) Actual Process of Preheating...129 ii. Aggressively Raising the Kiln Temperature...132 (a) Temperature During the Aggressive Firing Stage...133 (b) Atmosphere During Aggressive Firing...134 (c) Aggressively Firing and Fuel...135 (d) Actual Process of Aggressive Firing...135 iii. Soaking...137 iv. Cooling...138
v. Unloading...139 E. How to Fire the Sutema...140 F. Strategies for Conditions Which Affect Kiln Firing...142 i. Effects of Wind...142 ii. Effects of Rain...143 iii. Effects of the Seasons...143 iv. Effects of the Firemouth's Height...144 v. Effects of Loading...145 vi. Effects of Dampers...147 vii. Clay and Firing Methods...148 Chapter 7: Kilns for [Various] Types of Pottery...151 A. Kilns for Hi Iro Pottery...151 i. Kiln Shape...152 ii. Kinds of Clay...153 iii. Actual Firing...154 iv. Cautions...157 B. Shizenyu and Koge Pottery Kilns...158 i. Shizenyu Pottery...158 (a) Kiln Structure...158 (b) Makeup of the Clay...158 (c) Loading...159 (d) Actual Firing...159 (e) Yobigusuri Method for Iga Pottery...161 (f) Kiln Drip...161 ii. Koge Pottery...162 (a) Where Koge Pieces Can Be Fired...162 (b) Firing Techniques...163 (c) The Relationship Between Koge and Ember Volume...164 C. Kilns for Youhen Pottery...165 Chapter 8: Miscellaneous Notes on Firing Pottery...167 A. Building a Chimney While Firing the Kiln...167 B. Typhoons and Chimneys...170 C. Attaching a Tube Wind Shelter to the Chimney...172 D. Fully Underground Anagama...173 E. Building a Kiln for Disabled People...176 F. Diagnosing Ms. M's Multifunction Kiln...178 G. Kiln Ceiling Expansion...182 H. Story of Collapsed Shelves...184 I. Haikaburi, Sunakaburi...185 J. Firing the Kiln in Shifts...187 K. No Roof, No Money, No Firewood...188 L. Story of Terror...190
M. Firing in Summer...192 N. Firing in Winter...193 O. Thundering Kiln Spider Web Story...194 P. The Hearth Caretaker Bug Story...197 Q. Big Herd of Newts at the Iga Kiln Site...198 R. Story of The Man Buried in a Kiln...200 S. A Summertime Incident at the Studio...201 T. Drum Kiln...203