Tokoname Teapot and Bonsai Pottery Tour with Local Artisans

Highlights - Discover two of Tokoname’s most celebrated pottery traditions: teapots and bonsai pots. - Meet skilled artisans and hear firsthand about their techniques, traditions, and craftsmanship. - See how specialized artisans balance efficient production with exceptional teapot craftsmanship. - Admire distinctive bonsai pots celebrated for their richly expressive Oribe glaze. - Walk Tokoname’s historic Pottery Footpath among kilns, brick chimneys, and ceramic-lined lanes. Overview Discover Tokoname, one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns, with over 1,000 years of ceramic history, traditional teapots and bonsai pots, and local artisans. Stroll the Pottery Footpath, where historic kilns and workshops showcase Tokoname’s ceramic heritage. At Gyokko Toen, meet third-generation Traditional Craftsman Yukitaka Umehara and explore teapot techniques. At Koyo Toen, see fourth-generation artisan Juko’s bonsai pots finished with Oribe glaze. Working studios reveal Tokoname’s ceramic tradition.

1. 1

   Stop 1

   1.1 hours

   Stroll through Tokoname’s atmospheric pottery district, where more than 1,000 years of ceramic history remain part of everyday life. Walk past historic kilns, towering brick chimneys, the famous Clay Pipe Hill, and charming

2. 2

   Stop 2

   1 hour

   Step inside Gyokko Toen, a renowned Tokoname teapot workshop led by third-generation Traditional Craftsman Yukitaka Umehara. Discover how specialist artisans work together across different stages of production, from preparing the clay and shaping each piece to decoration and firing. Learn about distinctive Tokoname techniques including tobikanna, which creates rhythmic carved patterns across the surface, and mogake, a traditional firing technique using seaweed to create organic markings on the clay. The workshop is also committed to training younger craftspeople, offering a rare glimpse into how generations of knowledge and skill are passed forward.

3. 3

   Stop 3

   2.5 hours

   Discover another celebrated side of Tokoname ceramics at Koyo Toen, where fourth-generation artisan Juko specializes in bonsai pots. He is particularly known for his Oribe-glazed pieces, whose deep green tones and expressive surfaces have attracted bonsai enthusiasts. Browse the gallery and see a variety of works while hearing directly from the artisan about Oribe glaze, bonsai pot design, and the ideas and techniques behind his creations. Travel back to Nagoya with your guide. Guests who would prefer to spend more time in Tokoname may end the tour there instead, leaving time for lunch and further exploration around the Pottery Footpath.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• This tour includes walking along the Tokoname Pottery Footpath. Please be aware that parts of the route include slopes and uneven surfaces.
• This package tour includes statutory accident compensation in accordance with Japan’s Travel Agency Act. We also recommend that travelers purchase their own travel insurance for broader medical and travel-related coverage.
• Minimum age of participants is 7.
• A Mandarin, French, Spanish, German, or Korean-speaking guide may be available. Please contact the supplier in advance to check availability.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.