Kasongan Craft Village

Kasongan is one of the important craft villages found in the Yogyakarta region. It is easily accessible, as it is situated only 8 km south of the city center.

The village is a center for the production of terra cotta products and its fame as an artistic center for clay products has attracted many visitors from all over Indonesia as well as foreign tourists. Kasongan specializes in various ceramics used in daily life such as kitchen equipment, garden ornaments, accessories, wall decorations and even souvenirs. The majority of the villagers produce ceramics to earn for living and thus visitors can see the living tradition in which these beautiful ceramics are produced. This makes Kasongan a special interesting stop on any visitor's itinerary.

History of Kasongan

About 350 years ago (1675-1765), a man called "Kyai Song" and his descendants began producing ceramics for household use. In those days, household utensils were the only product of this village and were used to replace leaves to serve food. Later, in the period 1745-1825, a villager name "Mbah Jembuk" introduced the idea of wall decorations in the form of animal heads. In the 19^th century, another generation of villagers under the leadership of Mbah began making clay stoves called "Anglo".

After the Independence in 1945, the village continued to prosper. The government supported the efforts of the village to improve its product line and produce more for export. In 1980, for example, the Technical Service Unit of the local government office helped introduce the use of better quality clay and an improve type of oven to fire the ceramics, known as an "up-draft" oven. By 1987, Kasongan products were firmly established on the export market.

New Product Design in Kasongan

There is a continual effort to upgrade the products and to encourage new styles new ceramic techniques. That the results have been successful is clear from the number of people who come from Bali, Jakarta, Bandung and even overseas to buy the ceramics produced here.

Many of the items are small and decorative, either used as room accessories or wall decorations. There are new ceramic design in a variety of colors that are very popular are the decorative statue of brides and groom known as "Loro Blonyo". Other items that sell very well include the ornamented large pots that are found in many Indonesian gardens, pitchers, and water vases that are available in different sizes, colors, and antique styles.

In summary, there is plenty of choice of design, color, and size to be found in the ceramic products in Kasongan village. This, allied to the charm of the people, and the fascination of seeing the ceramics produced by local artists living in their own homes, makes Kasongan an attractive stop for any visitor to Yogyakarta.