One of the techniques applied to the work is called Nunome (the texture of fabric). It is to leave the texture of the fabric on the surface of the pottery. The earliest example of the technique is found on the back side of Japanese slates for roofs in the Heian period (794 - 1185). The slates were made using a wooden cast, and artisans put wet fabric between the cast and the clay to made it easier to remove the clay once settled in the cast. The slates are called Nunome Kawara (Nunome Slate). Although Nunome slate gradually disappeared around the middle of the 1300s because mica powder substituted the fabric, the nunome technique lived on. Potters started to use it for the decorative purpose. It is interesting to observe a technique born as a necessary engineering and later developed into outstanding craftsmanship.

This particular plate with round leg shows an excellent balance between various techniques, including Nunome. It is a superb yet quiet example of the unpretentious plate for everyday use made by an anonymous artisan. Where did those selfless and masterly potters go?