Tokoname Pottery Walking Tour

Tokoname Pottery Walking Tour

The pride Tokoname City holds in its history of ceramics is reason in itself to visit. The eastern side of the city has been turned into two walking courses which cover the bulk of the pottery related sights across the slope they sit on. We’ll take you on the first and shorter of the walks, Course A, which covers 1.6km past red brick chimneys and old black walled factories in a one-hour circuit. However, for a more active half-day walk the four-kilometer Course B will take a few hours and lead you all the way to the INAX Live Museum and the Tokoname Tounomori Museum in the south of the city which offer a further look at the history and production of Tokoname-yaki as well as ceramics from overseas.

Tokoname Pottery Walking Tour

Both of the Pottery Footpath’s courses start at the Tokoname ceramics hall at the bottom of the hill. As you climb Dokanzaka you’ll pass the iconic wall of pots which stretches for tens of metres up the path. These earthenware pipes date back to the Meiji and Showa periods when they were used to store shochu, a Japanese alcohol made from rice or sweet potatoes. Clay rings that were used for the firing process were also recycled as a slip-proof flooring for the path. Look out for information boards on your way up to find out more about the unique design and production of Tokoname-yaki, the region’s own brand of pottery.

Tokoname Pottery Walking Tour

Tokoname Pottery Walking Tour

Among the buildings that line the footpath is the Noborigama Hiroba Tenjikobokan, an indoor and outdoor gallery dedicated to climbing kilns in which Tokoname-yaki was often made back in its heyday. As well as a beautiful display of earthenware and a close up look at the noborigama, or climbing kiln, the museum also takes you through the history of the production from noborigama to the diesel oil-fired kilns that replaced them with preserved examples every step of the way.

Tokoname Pottery Walking Tour

Tokoname Pottery Walking Tour

More recent additions can also be found along the Pottery Footpath including colourful modern works of art which are peppered throughout the walk displaying pieces made by local craftsmen and women who still make up a good part of the population of the city. Keep an eye out and you’ll also find various pottery shops, novelty souvenir shops, and places to stop for lunch.

Tokoname Pottery Walking Tour

Tokoname

Aichi Pref

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INAX MUSEUMS (LIXIL GROUP)

Aichi Pref. Tokonameshi Okueichou 1-130

0569348282

10:00-17:00(Last entry16:30)

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Tokoname Tounomori Museum

Aichi Pref. Tokonameshi Segichou 4-203

0569345290

9:00-17:00

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