Otamadai

pottery style

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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Otamadai is a style of Japanese pottery from the Middle Jōmon period (c. 2500–1500 BCE). This style was produced by lowland peoples and is characterized by its dirt-brown color with a mica additive and somewhat restrained designs. It is distinguished from the Katsusaka type, which was produced by mountain dwellers and featured more flamboyant applied decorative schemes. The Jōmon period is known for its distinctive pottery, with the name "Jōmon" translating to "cord marks" due to the decorative patterns found on the shards. This period saw the development of various pottery forms, from bullet-shaped pots for cooking to more elaborate vessels for ritualistic purposes.1

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Japanese art
Jōmon period
The Otamadai type, produced by lowland peoples, was coloured dirt-brown with a mica additive and is somewhat more restrained in design. The Kasori E type has a salmon-orange surface. During this period a red ochre paint was introduced on some vessel surfaces, as was burnishing, perhaps…
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The Otamadai type, produced by lowland peoples, was coloured dirt-brown with a mica additive and is somewhat more restrained in design. The Kasori E type has a salmon-orange surface. During this period a red ochre paint was introduced on some vessel surfaces, as was burnishing, perhaps…
Read More