Join a Private Arts & Crafts Tour of the Hometown of Echizen Ceramics

Get an up-close look at the artisan culture of this traditional pottery villageing at traditional workshops

Visit the hometown of Echizen "pottery,” the traditional ceramic style that dates from the Heian period (794–1185). Echizen is the source of the iron-rich clay that gives this pottery its distinctive reddish-black surface. It is the site of one of six ancient kilns in Japan that continue to produce pottery.

On this in-depth tour, you’ll visit an old-fashioned wood-fired kiln and a workshop where pottery is still made. Next is a visit to the Echizen Pottery Village, a complex that includes displays of the works of famous artists. Some displays allow visitors to interact with the pieces and experience the feel of the glaze and unique shapes. You will learn the characteristics of this ancient traditional production process, from shaping to firing. Finally, you can attempt various stages of the process yourself at workshops held at the Pottery Village, and have your piece shipped to you at a later date.

Access: From Tokyo Station, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Fukui Station (about ｔhree hours), then take the　Hapi Line Fukui train from Fukui Station to Takefu Station (20 minutes). From Takefu Station, take a bus to the ceramic village entrance (30 minutes). The tour begins at a pottery workshop that is a 15-minute walk from there.
From Kyoto Station, take the Thunderbird line to Tsuruga Station (one hour), followed by the Hapi Line Fukui to Takefu Station (30 minutes).

Private Arts & Crafts Tour in Echizen Pottery Village （General Incorporated Association SOE）