Explore Japanese Ceramics » Special http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com For the most fascinating variety of ceramic art, look no further than Japan. Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:26:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Experience Japan Pottery Making Tour with Bruce McWhinney http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com/travel/2012japanpotterytourwzbm.html http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com/travel/2012japanpotterytourwzbm.html#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:51:46 +0000 admin http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com/?p=2937 Highlight:
Experience Japan Pottery Making Tour with Bruce McWhinneyJapan 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.
 
 
]]> http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com/travel/2012japanpotterytourwzbm.html/feed 0 Anagama Firing in Tajimi http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com/travel/anagamatajimi.html http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com/travel/anagamatajimi.html#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:00:26 +0000 admin http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com/?p=1556 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 [...]]]> Anagama Firing in TajimiHighlight:
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

Anagama Firing in TajimiRough 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
Anagama Firing in Tajimi
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.

Apply or Request for customizing, Click Here.

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