安田瓦は天保年間（1830）から生産されたと云い伝えられ、一般商品として生産されたのは弘化4年（1843）からです。明治に入って国内各地の師団増設、兵舎の増改築が高まり、弘前旭川師団や新発田兵営の屋根工事を請け負うなど、大量の注文を機に焼成の気運が高まり安田瓦の真価が広く各地に認められ、官庁、学校等の公共物の需要によって栄えてきました。また、品質、強度、耐寒性にすぐれ、味わい深い鉄色の瓦は一般住宅・神社・仏閣の屋根を飾るにふさわしく、県内外の名刹に多く用いられてきました。弥彦神社の勅使館・絵馬殿を始め新潟市の旧県会議事堂・旧税関や北方博物館、近年では県知事公舎など由緒ある建物の屋根を彩っています。明治・大正時代は主として家内工場での手作りから遂次機械化し現在は最新鋭の設備のもとで操業し、トンネル窯の自動化・生産工程の省力化・投資効果をあげ消費ニーズに即する商品の質の向上と量産によるコストダウンに努め、合理的に生産しています。
The production of Yasuda Kawara Tile is said to start during Tenpo period (1830), and the commercial production started in the fourth year of Koka (1843).In Meiji era when more army divisions were established and the extension or reconstruction of barracks increased throughout the nation, Yasuda Kawara Tile was used for the roofs of many army buildings, including army divisions in Hirosaki and Asahikawa as well as Shibata barrack. Demand in such large quantities has made the momentum for the tile burning industry, and evoked the wide appreciation of the quality of Yasuda Kawara Tile. As a result, it has been used for public buildings such as government offices and schools, and the business has prospered.Also, this tile of high quality, strength, cold resistance and profound iron color is excellent for the roofs of shrines and temples as well as general residences, thus often used for famous structures in and outside of our prefecture.Yasuda Kawara Tile has topped the roofs of many time-honored buildings, including the reception house for imperial messengers and the building for hanging votive picture tablets at Yahiko Shrine, the former prefectural assembly hall and the former customhouse as well as Northern Culture Museum in Niigata City, and more recently, the official residence of the governor.The tile was basically hand-made in domestic expenditures in Meiji and Taisho eras, then gradually moved to machine-made, and now it is made by the state-of-art equipment. The tunnel kiln has been automated, and the production process requires less labor, resulting in the higher ROI. We are committed to improving the product quality to meet consumer needs and bringing down the cost by economy of scale for a more intelligent production.
