Japanese Blue and Green #21 _ The Azuchi-Momoyama Period (Part 2)

Japanese Blue and Green #21

In the previous article, we introduced two types of aesthetic sensibilities from Momoyama culture. This time, we will consider the "青" (Ao) in "青織部" (Ao-Oribe: Oribe ware with green glaze).


◆織部 (Oribe)

Furuta Oribe (Furuta Shigenari) was a warrior who served the rulers of successive eras—Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and then Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hidetada. As a leading disciple of Sen no Rikyū, he also inherited the tradition of wabi-cha. After Rikyū's death, he was acclaimed as the foremost tea master of his time. In terms of mastering both the way of the warrior and the way of tea, he is the most famous figure in history. The name "Oribe" comes from the court title Oribe-no-suke (Assistant Director of the Weaving Office) at the Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade—Furuta Shigenari came to be called Furuta Oribe after being appointed to this position.

Furuta Oribe (1543-1615)

Oribe ware, born in Mino under Oribe's guidance during the Keichō era (1596–1615), is still known today as one of Japan's most representative ceramics. While basing his work on Rikyū's "wabi," Oribe went beyond that framework to pursue an unconventional and innovative beauty. It is quite different from the "restrained" quality that Rikyū favored.

There are various types such as Kuro-Oribe and Shino-Oribe, but what is called "Ao-Oribe" is characterized by its vivid coloring using copper green glaze. To our modern eyes, it is clearly green. With celadon, we can still accept "Ao," but with Ao-Oribe, I think many people would perceive it as "green."

Flat Bowl with Peach in Iron Brown and Green Glaze Momoyama, 17th	Oribe Ring flower-shaped fireworks Edo period, 17th century	Lidded Fan-Shaped Dish Edo period, 17th century
(Images: ColBase)

The name "Oribe-yaki" (Oribe ware) does not appear in documents from the time when Oribe was active. In other words, it is a term created by later generations. However, in Furuta Oribe's tea gathering records from 1608 (Keichō 13), there are entries for "せとのあふき皿" (seto no auki sara)" and "せとのへき皿" (seto no heki sara). Both are said to refer to Ao-Oribe, but if so, the distinction between "auki (=Ao)" and "heki (碧)" becomes intriguing.

I introduced the history of the misunderstanding surrounding "heki (碧)" in a previous article, and it is thought that in terms of hue, the main range was around blue to blue-green. However, Oribe ware with a blue or blue-green appearance is not found from this period. If that is the case, they may have been distinguished based on differences in tone. Considering that the popularity of "heki" originated with "碧空" (hekikū: azure sky), and that "midori" was also used to describe the sky, it is possible that lighter green pieces were called "heki," while those with a deeper, more subdued color were called "Ao."

To modern eyes, they all appear green, but for Japanese people of that time, the darker Ao-Oribe may have been the most typical "Ao." Looking at the images below, perhaps only the one on the far left would be "heki," while the other two would be "Ao." The Oribe fan-shaped lidded container on the far right would have been perceived as "more Ao."

Set of Fan-Shaped Dishes ("Mukōzuke") Edo period, 17th century	Set of Bowls ("Mukōzuke") Edo period, 17th century	Fan-shaped Food Container with Lid Momoyama, 17th
(画像: ColBase)

The term "緑釉" (ryokuyū: green glaze) may have already existed at the time. However, this was a word referring to materials and techniques, and ultimately, when it came to expressing the color of the finished vessel, "青" (Ao: blue) was chosen. Perhaps it was simply too dark to be called "緑" (midori: green). A brighter tone may have been necessary for that. I believe this result suggests that "midori" and "Ao" functioned as concepts in different dimensions, rather than as adjacent hues in the modern sense.

"Ao" encompasses many elements, but from whatever angle I consider it, I do not think it was ever a word meant to be contrasted with "midori." Through working on this series, I have come to perceive Ao-Oribe as "Ao," though naturally I also retain the sense that it is "green." It is green, and yet it is Ao.

Please also see the separate page "The Legacy of Chanoyu," which summarizes the development of wabi-cha from Sen no Rikyū onward.

◆The Development of "藍染" (Aizome: Indigo Dyeing)

Here, let us touch on the spread of indigo dyeing. In the late Muromachi period, Aoya Shirōbei established the sukumo (composted indigo) production method in Awa Province (present-day Tokushima Prefecture), leading to a dramatic development in indigo dyeing. As the name "Aoya" (literally "Ao shop") suggests, indigo dyeing was the act of dyeing things in Ao tones. However, this "Ao" refers to "Ao" as a color group name. Just as a fishmonger remains a "fish shop" whether selling sea bream or mackerel, an Aoya was a "shop dealing in Ao"—using indigo to dye various colors such as "浅葱" (Asagi), "縹" (Hanada), and "紺" (Kon).

(Image: EXSENSES)

By processing the leaves into sukumo rather than using fresh leaves as before, storage and transportation became possible, and indigo dyeing could now be done year-round. From the Sengoku period through the Azuchi-Momoyama period, daimyō across the country competed to protect and promote indigo cultivation. Later, the term "紺屋" (kōya/konya: indigo shop) emerged, and by the Edo period, dye shops in general came to be called kōya.

In the Awa domain under the Hachisuka clan, indigo became a major industry and came to be known throughout the country as "Awa-ai" (Awa indigo). There were also differences in quality—Awa-ai was called "正藍" (shō-ai: true indigo), while indigo from other regions was distinguished as "地藍" (ji-ai: local indigo).

Awa-ai	sukumo
(Image: EXSENSES)	(Image: 岡本織布工場)

As I introduced in #19, the deep indigo called "褐色" (kachi-iro) was favored by warriors as an auspicious color. During this era, indigo dyeing transformed from a special color to an everyday color. Commoners also wore indigo-dyed garments, and various shades of "Ao"—from light indigo to deep indigo—emerged.

Japanese "Ao" is truly mysterious. While green tones were at its center, blue tones like indigo were also naturally considered "Ao." Whether the green glaze of Oribe ware or indigo dyeing, from the perspective of hue, all of these fall under the umbrella of the "Ao group."



Summery

In the end, it seems that Japanese "Ao" continued to function in complex and rich ways through the Momoyama period, carrying directly into the Edo period.

The green glaze of Oribe ware was called "Ao," and indigo dyeing was also called "Ao." Colors like Yamabato-iro and Kikujin, which appear green to modern eyes, were considered "Ao," and blue-toned indigo was naturally "Ao" as well. This seemingly contradictory situation reveals the essence of traditional Japanese Ao perception.

Some opinions suggest that "Ao-iro meant a pale grayish yellow-green, and Ao referred to a dark green," but I believe that "Ao" as a color name (noun) and "aoi" as a description (adjective) tended to have different functions.

A. Color name: subdued green tones
B. Tone name: ambiguous states such as grayish colors, or extremely low brightness states that are "almost black"
C. Color group name: completely encompassing the range from blue to green
D. Plants in general; the color of chlorophyll
E. Young and immature states


"Ao" as a color name often referred to "subdued green tones" (A), but when used as the adjective "aoi," it mostly expressed "grayish, ambiguous tones" (B). I believe this is why "aoi sora" (blue sky) did not appear—a grayish sky would simply be overcast.

And so, with "Ao-iro = aoi iro = grayish color," I believe that originally "Ao-iro" was not a term referring to a specific color. If this is the case, it becomes understandable why there was variation in the colors used for "Ao-iro hou" (robes of Ao-iro), such as Kikujin, Yamabato-iro, and Aoshiro-tsurubami.

Personally, I think "Ao-iro" was essentially "aoi Ao"—that is, a grayish Ao tone. And when people saw the dark Oribe ware and called it an "aoi vessel," perhaps they wanted to express not just its hue, but its subdued tone as "aoi." In the main text, I described it as "the most typical Ao," but I believe the darker Ao-Oribe that was likely the "seto no auki sara" is grayish and extremely dark Ao (B×C)—in other words, "aoi Ao."

Oribe Square Bowl	Oribe Tray in the Shape of a Stylized Sandbank
(Images: ColBase)

I believe all of the elements A through E mentioned above were still alive during the Sengoku period. Rather than considering their color perception as undeveloped, we should recognize that they possessed a rich sensibility capable of distinguishing between hue and tone.

We are now approaching the modern era. How will this rich "Ao" change going forward?