Onta Yaki, also known as Onda Yaki, originates in the village of Onta, Oita prefecture. The pottery village of Oita is believed to have been established in 1705, with the eponymous pottery practice being strongly moulded by both the community and geography of the village. Within the many different families in the village producing Onta ware for generations, there is a great sense of community and this is showcased in the use of a single signature across all objects made in Oita. Further, among the pottery village there is a self-imposed limit on the amount of clay that can be harvested from surrounding mountains annually, to ensure continued environmental sustainability. To this day, the clay that is harvested is pulverised by traditional water mills (Kara-usu). The rhythmic pounding sound produced from these naturally river-powered mills is classified under the 100 protected soundscapes of Japan. Onta Yaki is typically produced in a slipware style and features signature brown and white etched lines. The practice has ties to significant figures in the folk craft movement such as Muneyoshi Yanagi and Bernard Leach. In 1995 Onta Yaki was nationally recognised as an Intangible Cultural Property.