Explore Japanese Ceramics » Travel

Experience Japan Pottery Making Tour with Bruce McWhinney

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:51:46 +0000

Highlight:

Japan has long history of ceramics with pottery towns existing nationwide with variety of glaze, highly honed techniques and cross fertilization with other Japanese traditional cultures such as tea ceremony, flower arrangements and food.

This tour is designed for participants to experience the full pottery making process in 11 days. Highlight of this tour is that you not only form clay using hand building techniques or potter’s wheel but you will also experience trimming and glazing, something that is not offered in general tours.

Advanced program is also offered for those who would like to learn directly from English speaking potter about clay or old established glazes.

Tour is concluded with a farewell dinner where you will eat from your very own handmade ware.

How can we make a piece in 10 days?
Well it isn’t “RAKU”. Pottery studios used for this tour are also generally the kiln manufacturers and therefore, is equipped with microwave kiln and/or gas and electricity hybrid kiln. By utilising these high technology kilns, drying time is significantly shortened and we are able to complete firing in 10 days. This tour showcases Japanese traditional culture which is ceramics but also another face of Japan which is its advanced technology.

Joining this tour:
On this tour, Bruce McWhinney, will be joining this tour as a teaching consultant for not only during ceramic workshops but also to share his valuable knowledge of art and pottery.
Bruce is a practicing ceramic artist and Head of Department at a major Art College in Sydney with over 30 years of professional experience.
His work is in private and public collections including; Shepparton Art Museum, Campbelltown Art Gallery, Manly Art Gallery Museum, and the collection of the curator of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington USA, private collections.

>> more details (jump to travel agency’s website)

Anagama Firing in Tajimi

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:00:26 +0000

Highlight:
In this program, you can charter an Anagama (cave/hole kiln) to fire your works. By using microwave kiln and hybrid kiln, you will be able to complete the process of forming to unloading as short as in 21 days.
Anagama is fueled with firewood and the length of the firing takes 3 days. Here, you will be fueling the firewood (not the studio staff), therefore, minimum number of participants for this program is 10 persons, so that you can fire the kiln in turns.

Tour price per 1 person: 230,000 JPY
The price includes:
- Pottery activity (Materials, Facility/tools use, Biscuit firing, etc.)
- Firing fee (Anagama use, Wood expense, A Japanese staff assistance for firing)
- Accommodation for 20 nights (You will stay in Oustat International Hotel Tajimi, with breakfast)
- Transportation service from hotel to pottery studio or kiln (Basically 1 shuttle a day. When firing, they will shuttle according to your shift schedule.)
Price does NOT include:
- Transportation to/from Tajimi station, Meals except breakfast, Packing service, Delivery service, etc.
Pottery facility:
- Pottery studio: Voice of Ceramics (in Tajimi, Gifu prefecture) [Web / Photos]
- Anagama kiln: Voice Kobo (in Tajimi, Gifu prefecture) [Web / Photos]
Minimum participants: 10 persons

Rough itinerary:
Day1-3 Forming
Day4 Trimming
Day5-7 Drying (During this term, enjoy your free time to explore Japanese ceramics!)
Day8 Biscuit firing (During this term, enjoy your free time to explore Japanese ceramics!)
Day9 Convey your works form studio to kiln (During this term, enjoy your free time to explore Japanese ceramics!)
Day10-11 Loading
Day12-14 Firing
Day13-20 Cooling down the kiln (During this term, enjoy your free time to explore Japanese ceramics!)
Day21 Unloading

Booking limit: 60 days prior to the tour start date
Payment limit: Full payments must be completed 30 days prior to the tour start date.
Cancellation fee (Based on Japan time):
- 30 days to 15 days prior to the tour start date: 50% of the tour price
- 14 days to 1 day prior to the tour start date: 80% of the tour price
- Cancellation on the tour start date: 100% of the tour price (No refunds)

About firing in Anagama:
- In this program, you will basically be doing the loading and firing (splitting and adding woods, controlling the temperature, etc) on your own. One Japanese staff will assist you (rudimentary english) when you need help. Please discuss with the staff in advance, and fix the firing schedule and timetable. (You will take shifts for firing.)
- It is required that at least one participant in your group have prior experience of firing with Anagama kiln. Otherwise, we may not be able to accept your application.
- As this is 21-day program, you will be basically creating “Yakishime”, unglazed stoneware. If you wish to create pieces using glazes such as Shino and would like to extend your stay, please contact us.
- You can fire about 100 to 200 smallish tea cups in this Anagama.
- We suggest you be reasonable to your expectations, as Anagama’s unpredictable and natural characteristics, we cannot guarantee your pieces successfully fired as imagined.

About the transportation to the studio/kiln:
A hotel staff will drive you to and from the studio or the kiln 1 time each a day, following the schedule fixed in advance. When firing, they drive following the shift schedule.

About the accommodation:
You will stay Oustat International Hotel Tajimi in Tajimi city. It’s about 10-15 minutes drive to the studio, and 20 minutes drive to the kiln. You will stay in a western style room (single or twin) with a fridge, a bathroom and a toilet. The room has no kitchen, but you will be provided with breakfast. The internet is available in the room. You can do the laundry in a coin washer near the hotel.

About the meals:
For breakfast, please have it in a restaurant in the hotel. For lunch, you can purchase a packed lunch at the studio when you do the pottery making activities. For other meals, you can purchase it at nearby supermarket, which is 5 minutes walk from the hotel. Also, there are many diners and fast-food restaurants around the hotel.

English: A Japanese staff at the studio will help you in rudimentary English. In addition, a local English speaker will support you.

A Message from the Pottey Studio Staff

Tajimi, a pottery town well known for Mino ware is filled with energy of pottery studios and potters.
Why don’t you enjoy making your original pots in Tajimi, one of the most popular pottery towns in Japan?
We will help you make and fire your works with much pleasure.
We all look forward to your visiting us.

30-day pottery making in Mashiko

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 03:30:28 +0000

Highlight:
In this program, you can enjoy making pottery at your pace, staying in an old Japanese house for 30 days in Mashiko, a pottery locality well known for Mingei movement. You can utilize a “COMPACT” wood fire kiln so that you can shorten your oven time. You can fire any works as long as they can be fitted in the kiln.

Tour price per 1 person: 258,000 JPY
The price includes:
- Facility/tools use
- Materials (clay, glazes etc)
- Biscuit firing fee (1 time)
- Compact wood fire kiln use for glost firing (1 time)
- Accommodation for 29 nights
The price does NOT include:
- Transportation fee to/from the pottery studio, Meals, Packing service, Delivery service, etc.
Pottery facility: Mashiko Ceramic Art Club (in Mashiko town, Tochigi prefecture) [Web / Photos]
Minimum participants: 1 person

Booking limit: 30 days prior to the tour start date
Payment limit:
- Advance payment of 10% of total tour cost must be deposited within 7 days of receiving a tentative confirmation (Refundable).
- Full payment must be completed 30 days prior to the tour start date.
Payment method we accept: Paypal, Bank transfer, International postal money order
Cancellation fee (Based on Japan time):
- 30 days to 15 days prior to the tour start date: 30% of the tour price
- 14 days to 1day prior to the tour start date: 50% of the tour price
- Cancellation on the tour start date: 100% of the tour price (No refunds)

About firing:
- A compact wood fire kiln of 50cm x 40cm x 50cm is available for glost firing 1 time during your stay.
- To use the kiln, you will need to make advance reservations with the studio. Our recommendation is to arrange schedule with the studio owner before you start making a pot.
- You can complete firing as long as approximately 10 hours. (The firing time differs depending on the firing method.)
- Please also arrange with the owner when and which kiln you will use for the biscuit firing, if you need.

About the accommodation:
You will stay in a traditional Japanese house next to the pottery studio. When sleeping, you will use futon (Japanese style tick) with no beds in a Tatami room. You will share a kitchen, a fridge, a bathroom, a toilet, a washing machine and the dining space. The internet is not available in your room.
As this house is built in a traditional way, you can surely feel the “old Japan” throughout the house, but at the same time, there might be some possibilities that you would be in a un-private situation, as you have to share the kitchen, the toilet, the bathroom etc, and also the walls are thin.

About the meals:
The place is equipped with kitchen. Feel free to cook. The owner will tell you where the nearest grocery store is.
With extra charge, we can upgrade your plan to include “breakfast” or “breakfast and dinner”. For more detailed information, please contact us.

English: The studio owner speaks rudimentary English, but he is well accustomed to taking care of non Japanese people, as they have accepted quite a lot of guests from all over the world.

A Message from the Pottery Owner
Mashiko, a small town surrounded by rich green nature, has a history of making rustic pottery. Mashiko is located in Tochigi prefecture and it takes 2.5-3 hours from Tokyo by local train. In recent years, various artists prefer to stay here.
A lot of people from overseas have visited our studio and enjoyed not only pottery activities but Japanese cultures. How about staying in an old traditional Japanese house for pottery making?
We look forward to your visit.

30-day pottery making in Seto

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 03:20:41 +0000

Highlight:
This program is designed to experience and learn the traditional pottery making carried on in Akazu area, Seto. You will be staying at a pottery studio and learn to make casual Japanese dishes with old-established glazes. During the stay, you will be spending several hours working as a “Craftsman”, of course under the guidance of professional potter. Through experiencing the use of handbuilding techniques to create sophisticated forms, you will find yourself improving your basic skills along the way.

Tour price per 1 person: 145,000 JPY
*500JPY per night as “heating expense” is charged during January and February in addition to the above price.
The price includes:
- Materials (clay max. 100kg, glazes etc)
- Facility/tools use
- Firing fee for 2 or 3 times
- Accommodation for 29 nights (*You will stay on the 2nd floor of the pottery studio)
The price does NOT include:
- Transportation fee to/from the studio, Meals, Packing service, Delivery service, etc.
Pottery facility: Kita-gama Kasen (in Seto city, Aichi prefecture) [Web /Photos]
Minimum participants: 1 person

Booking limit: 30 days prior to the tour start date
Payment limit:
- Advance payment of 10% of total tour cost must be deposited within 7 days of receiving a tentative confirmation (Refundable).
- Full payment must be completed 30 days prior to the tour start date.
Payment method we accept: Paypal, Bank transfer, International postal money order
Cancellation fee (Based on Japan time):
- 30 days to 15 days prior to the tour start date: 30% of the tour price
- 14 days to 1 day prior to the tour start date: 50% of the tour price
- Cancellation on the tour start date: 100% of the tour price (No refunds)

About firing:
- You will use a gas kiln of 90cm x 60cm x 90cm (0.7 cubic meters) or an electric kiln of 40cm x 40cm x 40cm.
- Your works will be fired together with other items when the studio fires the kiln on their regular schedule, therefore you can not specify the firing method. Also, please understand that there may be some limitations in terms of sizes and numbers of items to be fired.
- They usually fire once a week, so you will probably get 2 or 3 chances to fire during your stay of 30 days. (The firing frequency depends on the schedule of the studio.)
- Please contact us to inquire about chartering the kiln.

About your work at the studio:
You will work as a craftsman to help the studio for several hours a day. Your work program will be decided after discussions with the pottery owner, taking into account your skills and work schedule of the studio.

About the accommodation:
You will stay in a room on the 2nd floor of the pottery studio. The room is a Japanese style room with Tamami mats, futon (Japanese style tick), a small kitchen, a fridge, a bathroom and a toilet. You will share a washing machine. The internet connection is available in your room.
There maybe apprentice potters residing in other rooms.

About the meals:
You can use the kitchen in your room. The studio owner will tell you where the nearest grocery store is.

English: The pottery owner can speak English, but not as fluently as native speakers.

A Message from the Pottery Owner

“It requires 3 years to master wedging, and 10 years to master the wheel.”
Here in Seto, the phrase has been handed down from generation to generation, to inherit the importance of spending plenty of time to learn.
We believe that it would be a very good experience for you to work with the craftsman.

30-day pottery making in Tokoname

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 03:10:48 +0000

Highlight:
If you would like to manufacture some artistic objects and/or large pieces at your pace, this program would be well-suited. You can use the studio any time you want, except midnight. Also, you can use the gas kiln to yourself twice during your stay; Once for biscuit firing and once for glost firing.
You will stay in Tokoname city in Aichi prefecture, a pottery locality well known for ‘IWCAT’, an artist in residence program held every summer.

Tour price per 1 person: 200,000 JPY
The price includes:
- Facility/tools use
- Glazes
- Gas kiln use (1 time for biscuit firing and one more time for glost firing)
- Accommodation for 29 nights with breakfast (You will stay in Hotel “Route Inn Tokoname Ekimae”)
The price does NOT include:
– Clay, Gas cost for firing, Transportation fee to/from the studio, Meals except breakfast, Packing service, Delivery service, etc.
Pottery facility: Gallery Kyoei-gama (in Tokoname city, Aichi prefecture) [Web / Photos]
Minimum participants: 1 person

Booking limit: 30 days prior to the tour start date
Payment limit:
- Advance payment of 10% of total tour cost must be deposited within 7 days of receiving a tentative confirmation (Refundable).
- Full payment must be completed 30 days prior to the tour start date.
Payment method we accept: Paypal, Bank transfer, International postal money order
Cancellation fee (Based on Japan time):
– 30 days to 15 days prior to the tour start date: 30% of the tour price
- 14 days to 1 day prior to the tour start date: 50% of the tour price
- Cancellation on the tour start date: 100% of the tour price (No refunds)

About purchasing clay:
You can purchase clay directly from Kyoei-gama (about 2,500JPY/10kg) or go to clay shops in Tokoname.

About firing:
- Please select a gas kiln out of 5 kilns with different sizes. They are 0.1, 0.4, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 cubic meters. (If you want to use 1.1 cubic meters kiln, please let us know. We will give you cost estimation separately.)
- To use the kiln, you will need to make advance reservations with the studio. Our recommendation is to arrange schedule with the studio staff before you start making a pot.
- From loading to unloading, we expect 3 days for biscuit firing and 4 days for glost firing. (If exceeded, additional fee will be charged.)
- Please check the amount of gas you used right after firing, and pay the gas cost directly to Kyoei-gama staffs.

About the accommodation:
You will stay in a hotel named “Route Inn Tokoname ekimae” located in front of the studio. It’s just 1 minute walk from the studio. You will stay in a western style single room with a fridge, a bath and a toilet. The room is not equipped with Kitchen. The hotel will serve breakfast. You can use a common bath and a washing machine on the 1st floor. The internet connection is available in your room.

About the meals:
You can have breakfast at a restaurant in the hotel. For other meals, ready to eat meals, drinks, snacks are available at nearby grocery store, which is a 5 minute walk from the hotel.

English: A staff at the studio can speak English, but not as fluently as native speakers.

A Message from the Pottery School Staff

Welcome to Tokoname, a thousand-year-old, one of the Japan’s Six Old Kilns.
We are extremely proud to offer you an exquisite experience of making pottery in a historical pottery locality.
We all look forward to meeting you.

30-day pottery making in Tajimi

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 03:05:51 +0000

Highlight:
In this program, you will make tea utensils covered with traditional glazes for Mino pottery such as Shino and Oribe. You will start from wedging, and after completing the firing, you will have a tea ceremony at the pottery studio, using your own tea utensils. By experiencing tea ceremony, a traditional culture closely related to pottery, you will be able to have a better understanding of Japanese ceramics.

Tour price per 1 person: 287,500 JPY
The price includes:
- Facility/tools use
- Instruction fee (notes: The potter will teach you in rudimentary English. Also, there might be some days we can not provide you with this program due to the potter’s schedule.)
- Materials (clay, glazes etc)
- Gas kiln use (1 time for glost firing)
- Tea ceremony experience
- Accommodation for 29 nights
The price does NOT include:
- Transportation fee to/from the pottery studio, Meals, Packing service, Delivery service, etc.
Pottery facility: Sumiyoshi-gama (in Tajimi city, Gifu prefecture) [Photos]
Minimum participants: 1 person

Booking limit: 30 days prior to the tour start date
Payment limit:
- Advance payment of 10% of total tour cost must be deposited within 7 days of receiving a tentative confirmation (Refundable).
- Full payment must be completed 30 days prior to the tour start date.
Payment method we accept: Paypal, Bank transfer, International postal money order
Cancellation fee (Based on Japan time):
- 30 days to 15 days prior to the tour start date: 30% of the tour price
- 14 days to 1 day prior to the tour start date: 50% of the tour price
- Cancellation on the tour start date: 100% of the tour price (No refunds)

About firing:
- During your stay, you will do the glost firing 1 time using a gas kiln. The kiln is about 1.0 cubic meter.
- As your works will be fired together with other items, you cannot specify the firing method. Also, please understand that there may be some limitations in terms of sizes and numbers of items to be fired.
- For the firing schedule, please arrange the schedule with the potter in advance.
- If you take part in this program with more than 5 participants, we can estimate the firing fee using a wood fire kiln separately. Please let us know.

About the accommodation:
You will stay in an accommodation next to the studio. The room is a private room with a bed. A kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet, and a washing machine will be shared. The internet is not available in the room. Accommodation is located in rural area with nature. If you prefer very clean and modern place to stay, you may choose not to apply for this program.

About the meals:
You can use the kitchen in the pottery studio. The studio owner will tell you where the nearest grocery store is.

English: The potter speaks rudimentary English, but he has been abroad many times, and well accustomed to communicating with non-Japanese people.

A Message from the Pottery Owner
There are beautiful four seasons in Japan, “spring, summer, fall, and winter”.
Enjoy spring redolent with blooming flowers, feel the waves of sea breeze in summer, appreciate the rich harvest in fall, and see the rigor in winter snow.
We devote ourselves into making pottery, every season, every year.
Working with heart and soul, which is one of the beauties of Japanese pottery. This is why you can feel the potter’s devotion through his works.
We look forward to your visit and you sharing the dreams for pottery with us!

A Testimonial from Our Customer

I looked for an appropriate way of finding out the insight into the Japanese way of understanidg the ceramics. I simply wanted to see how you do it. I decided for master Ogisou because he is practicing Shino and Oribe…

>> See more details

30-day pottery making in Arita

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 03:00:15 +0000

Highlight:
In this program, you will make pottery used in our daily lives, staying in Arita, a pottery locality famous for porcelain. You will use porcelain clay, form it with a wheel, and do the over glazed decoration. Experiencing this process would be very special especially for those who didn’t have a chance to make “porcelain” very often.
After unloading your works, you will make soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles) with the owner, and eat it, serving in your own bowl.

Tour price per 1 person: 312,500 JPY
The price includes:
- Facility/tools use
- Instruction fee (note: The pottery studio owner can not speak English, but a local English speaker will support you. Please also note that there might be some days we can not provide this program due to the potter’s schedule.)
- Materials (clay, glazes, paints etc)
- Gas and Electirc kilns use (1 time for biscuit firing, 1 time for glost firing, 1 time for decorating firing)
- Soba making experience
- Accommodation for 29 nights
The price does NOT include:
– Transportation fee to/from the pottery studio, Meals, Packing service, Delivery service, etc.
Pottery facility: Norito-gama (in Arita town, Saga prefecture) [Web / Photos]
Minimum participants: 1 person

Booking limit: 30 days prior to the tour start date
Payment limit:
- Advance payment of 10% of total tour cost must be deposited within 7 days of receiving a tentative confirmation (Refundable).
- Full payment must be completed 30 days prior to the tour start date.
Payment method we accept: Paypal, Bank transfer, International postal money order
Cancellation fee (Based on Japan time):
– 30 days to 15 days prior to the tour start date: 30% of the tour price
- 14 days to 1 day prior to the tour start date: 50% of the tour price
- Cancellation on the tour start date: 100% of the tour price (No refunds)

About firing:
– You can do the biscuit firing, glost firing and decorating firing 1 time each (3 times in total) by using either an electric kiln or a gas kiln. The gas kiln for glost firing is about 1.5 cubic meters.
- As your works will be fired together with other items, you cannot specify the firing method. Also, please understand that there may be some limitations in terms of sizes and numbers of items to be fired.
- For the firing schedule, please arrange the schedule with the studio owner in advance.

About the accommodation:
You will be billeted in a private home near the studio. The room can be locked with a key (it will be a Japanese style room) and you will use futon (a Japanese style tick) when you sleep. Also, a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet, a washing machine, a fridge and a dining space will be shared. The internet is not available.
The owner does not live in this house now, but there will be held jazz-piano lessons several times a week in that house.

About the meals:
You can use the kitchen in your room. The house owner will tell you where the nearest grocery store is.

English: The studio owner can not speak English, but a local English speaker will support you.

A Message from the Pottery Owner

I aspire to make pieces from the early period of Arita porcelain, of which also fit well with modern lifestyle.
On weekends, we serve Soba (Buckwheat noodles) entirely made by hand.
We are looking forward to welcoming you to our studio.

1 day tour in Arita

admin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 03:20:17 +0000

Highlight
This program is a combination of sightseeing and pottery making session in Arita, a well known pottery locality for artistic porcelain.
You will visit showrooms at Kakiemon and Imaemon, potteries famous for producing Living National Treasures, and some more that also possess a long tradition of exporting beautiful porcelains overseas. At the end of this tour, you will experience an activity of painting the pots.

Tour price per 1 person: 15,500JPY
The price includes:
- English speaking attendant, admission fee to the museums, lunch (drinks are not included), transportation inside Arita, painting instruction fee, facility/tools use, materials, firing fee, tax.
The price does NOT include:
- Transportation to/from Arita, drinks, packing service, delivery service, etc.
Tour date: Everyday EXCEPT Mondays (If Monday is on holiday, Tuesday will be out of service.)
*There may be some cases we cannot provide this tour due to an irregular occasion of the facility.
Minimum participants: 2 persons

Rough itinerary:
10:00 Meet up with a tour attendant at Arita station and visit Kyushu Ceramic Museum.
10:10 See Kyushu Ceramic Museum.
10:50 Go on a walkabout in a district called Sarayama. Visit popular potteries including Tsuji-seiji, Koransha and Imaemon.
12:00 Have lunch
13:00 Visit Kakiemon and Gen-emon.
14:00 Enjoy pottery session of painting.
15:45 Finish the session and transfer to Arita station.
16:00 Break up at Arita station.
*The destinations may be changed due to an irregular closing.

Booking limit: 2 weeks prior to the tour date
Payment limit: Full payment must be completed 2 weeks before the tour date
Payment method we accept: Paypal
Cancellation fee (Based on Japan time):
- 14 days to 2 days prior to the tour date: 30% of the tour price
- 1 day prior to the tour date: 50% of the tour price
- Cancellation on the tour date: 100% of the tour price

About the pottery painting session:
- The pottery session will be held at either China on the park or Keizan gama in Arita town, Saga prefecture.
- The pottery you paint will be fired in 1 to 2 months, and then shipped to you. Please pay the packing and the delivery fee by cash when you register the shipping.
- Due to the porcelain characteristics, it may be cracked or broken without anyone’s fail. In the event of your item crack, we will ship the cracked pieces or a similar item made by the pottery studio instead.

English: A local English speaking attendant will accompany and help you.

1 day tour in Tajimi

admin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 03:10:34 +0000

Highlight
This program is a combination of sightseeing and pottery making session in Mino area, a pottery locality famous for glazes such as Shino, Oribe. You will visit a pottery studios which are not usually open to tourists, and with luck, you get to watch skilled craftsmen at work, crafting pieces precisely by hand.

Tour price per 1 person: 18,700JPY
The price includes:
- English speaking attendant, pottery studios visit, lunch (drinks are not included), transportation inside Tajimi (by taxi), pottery making instruction, facility/tools use, wheel use, materials, *firing fee, tax.
*You can fire only 1 work, the diagram and the height of which must be no longer than 28cm in total. (Those with handles or lids are not acceptable for firing.)
The price does NOT include:
- Transportation to/from Tajimi, drinks, packing service, delivery service, etc.
Tour date: Everyday EXCEPT Tuesdays
*There may be some cases we cannot provide this tour due to an irregular occasion of the facility.
Minimum participants: 2 persons

Rough itinerary:
11:00 Meet up with a tour attendant at Tajimi station and transfer to Takata-Onada district.
11:15 Go on a walkabout and visit pottery studios in Takata-Onada district.
13:00 Have lunch
14:00 After lunch, visit pottery studio
14:30 Pottery making session
16:30 After the session, go to Tajimi station.
17:00 Break up at Tajimi station.

About the pottery making session:
- The pottery making session will be taken place at Kokei gama in Tajimi city, Gifu prefecture.
- Enjoy the making process using a wheel. Your works will be dried, trimmed and fired in 2 to 3 months, and then shipped to you. Please pay the packing and the delivery fee by cash when you register the shipping.
- Due to the pottery characteristics, it may be cracked or broken without anyone’s fail. In the event of your item crack, we will ship the cracked pieces or a similar item made by the pottery studio instead.

English: A local English speaking attendant will accompany and help you.

1 day tour in Mashiko

admin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 03:00:52 +0000

Highlight
This program is a combination of sightseeing and pottery making session in Mashiko, a pottery locality famous for ‘Mingei’ movement. You will first visit Mashiko Reference Collection Museum and see the collections of Hamada Shoji, a Living National Treasure. Then it’s time to get down to hands on fun of pottery making. You’ll move to pottery studio where you can view Hamada’s old house and his Noborigama.
You can enjoy this program as a 1day-trip from Tokyo.

Tour price per 1 person: 17,300JPY
The price includes:
- Guide fee, admission fee for a museum, lunch (drinks are not included), transportation inside Mashiko, pottery instruction, facility/tool use, materials, *firing fee, tax.
*You can fire only 1 piece, the maximum length of which must be no longer than 18cm. (Those with handles or lids are not acceptable for firing.)
The price does NOT include:
- Transportation to/from Mashiko, drinks, packing service, delivery service, etc.
Tour date: Everyday EXCEPT Mondays (If Monday is on holiday, Tuesday will be out of service)
*There may be some cases we cannot provide this tour due to an irregular occasion of the facility.
Minimum participants: 2 personss

Rough itinerary:
12:00 Meet up with a guide at the bus stop in front of Mashiko Reference Collection Museum or at Mashiko train station on Moka line, and have lunch.
13:00 After lunch, walk to Mashiko Reference Collection Museum.
13:05 Visit Mashiko Reference Collection Museum.
13:50 Leave Mashiko Reference Collection Museum and walk to Ceramic Art Messe Mashiko.
14:10 Pottery making session at Ceramic Art Messe Mashiko.
15:30 Free time after the session. (If you want to ship your work, go to a gallery ‘Toko’ for delivery registration)
17:00 Take a bus to Utsunomiya station in front of Ceramic Art Messe Mashiko. Break up.

Booking limit: 2 weeks prior to the tour date.
Payment limit: Full payment must be completed 2 weeks before the tour date.
Payment method we accept: Paypal
Cancellation fee (Based on Japan time):
- 14 days to 2 days prior to the tour date: 30% of the tour price
- 1 day prior to the tour date: 50% of the tour price
- Cancellation on the tour date: 100% of the tour price (No refunds)

About the pottery making session:
- The pottery making session will be taken place at Ceramic Art Messe Mashiko in Tochigi Prefecture.
- Enjoy the making process by hand-forming. Your works will be dried, trimmed and fired in 1 to 2 months, and then shipped from a gallery ‘Toko’. Please pay the packing and the delivery fee by cash when you register the shipping.
- Since you use natural materials and the works are treated in a very high heat, one out of dozens can crack or break in the process of drying or firing. In the event of your item crack, we will ship the cracked pieces or a similar item made by the pottery studio instead.

English: A licensed guide will assist you in English.