A thousand-year-old pottery town ~ Seto ware, woodwork, and jounamagashi ~

The history of Seto ware began in the Heian period and is now widely known as a traditional craft that represents Japan. Visit the kiln where the Seto ware technique has been passed down and immerse yourself in the craftsmanship. The area also offers the experience of making bright jounamagashi by Shota Oizumi, the youngest certified Japanese confectionery artisan, and creating goods using Seto wood.

Date

Time

Schedule

Content

Day1

13:40-14:40

Setogura Museum

  • Under a professional guide, you will have a better understanding of Seto pottery!

14:45-15:45

Seto Blue and White Ceramics Center

15:50-16:50

Atelier Watari

16:55-17:55

Soujuen

18:30

Dinner

  • Local restaurant

Check-in

  • Guest house Masukichi

Day2

10:00-10:10

Depart from hotel

10:10-12:10

Seto Hongyo

  • Making straw crafts out of wild grapes & local food experience.

12:15-13:30

Lunch　

  • Seto Specialty - Gomoku Gohan

13:35-15:35

Wagashidokoro Miyoshiya Oizumi

Experience

Atelier Watari

●Overview: Experience the making of ballpoint pens, workshop tour. ●Duration: 1h Atelier Watari conducts a project for "craftsmen to utilize wood cut down during forest maintenance." The project is gaining attention for its activities to protect the diverse forests of Seto. Take this opportunity to learn the woodworking techniques of Watari Koubou and create your own ballpoint pens using this wood.

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Soujuen

●Overview: Factory tour, painting experience ●Duration: 1h Soujuen has been manufacturing as the main kiln of Seto City since its founding in 1953. Producing as many as 300 original products centered on tea bowls while also painting with screen printing, rarely done at other kilns. Make a visit and enjoy the history and craft of Seto ware.

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Seto Hongyo

●Overview: Explanation and Museum tour. Ceramic art experience. Discussion and shopping time. ●Duration: 2h Seto Hongyo, founded in the Hora region, known for its many kilns and pottery shops, boasts a 250-year heritage. The property has a climbing kiln (a city-designated cultural property), a workshop, and the Seto Folk Crafts Museum (scheduled to open in April 2021). Seto Hongyo uses local resources for soil and glaze to make pieces that fit our daily lives, such as Kiseto, Oribe, Sansai, Umanome, and Mugiwarate.

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Wagashidokoro Miyoshiya Oizumi

●Overview: After explaination and demonstration of jounamagashi, participants will make and have time to taste while chatting. ●Duration: 2h Among Japanese raw sweets known as namagashi, high-quality jounamagashi requires advanced technical skills that only artisans can make. Certified as the youngest top Japanese confectionery artisan by the National Japanese Confectionery Association, Shota Oizumi has perfected these skills and will introduce you to the world of namagashi at Miyoshiya Oizumi. Enjoy this relaxing experience making beautiful Japanese sweets.

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Stay

Guesthouse Masukichi

Guesthouse Masukichi is a renovated 140-year-old folk house that was once a residence of Masukichi Kawamoto, a potter from the Meiji era. The guesthouse has a cafe that uses the potter's work as well as other works from Seto. Take a moment to relax in an old folk house standing in the old-fashioned cityscape.

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  • ・
    Languages
    ：
     Mainly in Japanese, other languages based upon request.
  • ・
    Number of participants
    ：
     2 to 8 people
  • ・
    Meeting place
    ：
     negotiable
  • ・
    Reservation deadline
    ：
     14 days prior to departure
  • ・
    Payment method
    ：
     Bank transfer, credit card
  • ・
    Clothing
    ：
     None specified
  • ・
    Tour guide
    ：
     Local producer or interpreter (arrangements made based upon customer’s preference)
  • ・
    Cancellation fee
    ：
     29~15days prior to departure 5% 14~7days prior to departure 20% 6~4days prior to departure 50% 3~1days prior to departure 70% Departure day or no show 100%
  • ・
    Precautions
    ：
     -Tour will be held even in cases of rain, except in the event of a typhoon or heavy rain warning. -All photos shown are for illustrative purposes only. -The places to be visited are not tourist destinations, and due to circumstances, there may be different processes within the factory with the machines not being in operation. -Elementary school students and younger may participate in the tour with the accompaniment of a parent or guardian. However, we cannot be held responsible for any injuries or accidents happening during the tour, including in the parking lot and in the workshop. -Please make sure that parents/guardians do not touch the machines, especially during the tour inside the workshop. -We recommend that you purchase travel insurance for your participation in the tour. -The tour will be cancelled in the event that smooth operation of the tour becomes difficult due to the new coronavirus infection situation or other reasons. If the tour is cancelled, full amount of the tour fee will be refunded.
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