Kazuwa-yaki is a three-generation pottery kiln in Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture. Its story begins with a potter from Shigaraki who trained in the historic Gojo-zaka district of Kyoto before relocating to Tottori during the war. The kiln is led today by third-generation master Hakuga Nakamori, who continues both the technical mastery and the creative approach of his predecessors.

At the heart of Kazuwa-yaki is Shinsha (辰砂, cinnabar) glaze — a signature technique preserved since the first generation. Adding copper compounds to the glaze and firing in a reduction atmosphere (with limited oxygen) produces a deep crimson red. Because the hue shifts with even the slightest change in material purity, achieving the correct color requires constant micro-adjustments and the intuition of a master.

The kiln has also developed techniques rooted in the local landscape. Nashibai-yu (Pear Ash Glaze) is made by burning pruned branches from the region's pear trees into ash for the glaze, producing a soft, organic finish. The Nunome (cloth texture) technique presses fabric weave directly into the clay surface. Local red clay, historically used for water pipes because of its lower heat resistance, has been re-formulated with porcelain clay to produce vessels durable enough for daily use.

The soul of the studio remains its Noborigama (climbing kiln), fueled by red pine and fired only once a year. Electric and gas kilns are also used to balance consistency with the unpredictable surfaces that only the wood kiln can produce. The studio's work now reaches European markets and welcomes international visitors, while staying rooted locally — for over thirty years it has hosted pottery classes for local fifth-grade students, who then eat from the bowls they made themselves.